Washed Up
by Prustrian Informant
Summary: Izaya gets into a situation at work which leads to his being dumped into Tokyo Bay and barely saved by Shizu-chan. Unfortunately, the flea has more problems than just his new and old foes around...
1. Chapter 1

_I love humans. They attempt to try to have variety in their lives. They think that they can change and blame each other for their own flaws. They think that the world revolves around them._

The darkness moved closer as the wind blew past him. The wind whipped his hair back, causing his clothes to flap in the air. The waves below hit the shore without pause and waves crested violently in the storm's angry might.

_There is nothing about humans that is special. They are all average. They amount to nothing that anyone else could not amount to. _

Lightning lit the sky and the small group above him was illuminated on the bridge. It was as if everything had frozen. The men's faces were impossible to differentiate. Their dark clothes impossible to discern where they ended and the scenery began. Their pale skin reflected the mass of electricity.

_I suppose that is why I could never refer to you as a human. I would be admitting that my interest in you was in vain. It would mean that all time I spent running was pointless. I would have gotten bored. _

The shifting water was getting closer. The waves reached up for him with a vigor, threatening to carry him under and never let him go. The sounds amplified as the wind whipped past him quicker. All the light of the night disappeared with the flash of light and he found himself blind again. The weight around his ankles pulled him down, keeping him from attempting any kind of grace in his fall.

_No…_

_ That's not true. I wouldn't have gotten bored. I would have been horrified. Why did I run from you? Why did I bother to even look in your direction? So many unanswered questions and no time left in this world to seek out the truth. _

_ No… _

_ It's too soon…_

The waves licked his ankles as he hit the water. The world of air met the realm of water. Lapping at him and dragging him under, the hands of the ocean pulled him in. Pale fingers pulled at the chains around his ankles. Crimson spilled from wounds along his person. It filled the space around him with smoky color among the briefly lit fluid. Clothing soaked through and through and became a weight of its own. There was no escape from such a prison.

Izaya fought the water for life. He released the ropes in a vain attempt to propel himself upwards. The water and the weight on him negated any strength that remained after the attack to his person. His beloved knife was not on him…

Coldness and weariness consumed him and the shadows closed in. There was no chance for flight. A burning sensation began to rip through his nose and throat. Air became scarce. No reprieve loomed ahead, merely that gloom of his new home.

His legs tingled as they fell asleep. A searing pain roared itself through his head as water began to run to places it was never meant to roam. Izaya found his mouth open as he tried to gasp for air, any air, in the darkness. Any fight his arms were putting up at this point seized. Appendages floated beside him as they gave in and accepted the great sleep.

_No…_

He pushed at the weight again and opened his now bloodshot eyes to look up towards the fading moments of light above him. Desperate strength flooded him as he strove for the freedom of the other world. He wasn't supposed to end this way. This couldn't be the end.

_Shizu-chan…_

As fast as the last of his strength came, it left him. Izaya watched the light vanish more into the distance and shut his eyes again, feeling them burn in agony. His arms once again became useless. The dimness below beckoned him.

~.~

_**A/N: Hello fascinating people, welcome to my awesome corner of the world. Feel free to leave me reviews, help yourself to some Shizaya, and know that I have information on all of you. XD**_

_**Just kidding… but seriously, leave a comment for me.**_


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn't as if he really had wanted to jump into the freezing cold water of Tokyo bay. With winter being as it was, the temperatures were frigid and no one in a mood for any water activities.

…Of course, no one was dumping people into the bay until this evening.

It had to be the one night where it was storming with a vengeance and he was stuck without an umbrella and having to walk all the way home since someone (Tom) had had to call him all the way over just to go after one person who, in fact, had never shown up so that they could demand payment.

Perfect.

Abso-fucking-lutely perfect.

He watched the men run to their cars and zoom off as the body hit the water. The person was most likely dead. That was what they usually did in such situations was it not? Kill the guy and dump him in the ocean?

Hell if he knew.

Shizuo glared up to the heavens as he kicked an object on the bridge. The piece of junk skittered across the ground and clinked as it went. It sounded metallic. Fed up with the evening in general, he picked it up and froze as he saw the blade illuminated.

_Izaya…_

He knew this piece of shit. That damn Louse used this thing religiously. Hell it had his name engraved upon the hilt. Shizuo blinked and looked over the bridge's edge.

That Flea couldn't have been…

No. He was the premier informant of Shinjuku. He was too damn fast for anyone to kill. He knew. He had been trying for years.

Damn.

Shizuo flipped his abysmal phone open and dialed the number blindly.

"Hello?"

"Shinra? It's Shizuo."

"Huh? Shizuo-san? Are you outside? It's really loud on your end?"

"I know. I was wondering if you had heard from that damn louse?"

"…Izaya? No, I called his place to invite him to dinner with Celty and myself since she didn't want to go alone, but his client answered and said he moved. OH! Shizuo! You can come with us! It's not too late and I'm sure-"

He hung up on the doctor and glanced over the edge again.

The flea got killed? It sounded too good to be true. There was no way that it had really happened. The guy was probably just at home stalking people online or roaming around Ikebukuro trying to get people to leap to their deaths.

Before he realized it, Shizuo found himself setting his phone and wallet down behind a nearby bench and going over the edge of the bridge. He dove thoughtlessly into the water and felt the cold bite at him.

What the hell was he doing? He broke the surface and gathered a deep breath before going under again. He searched through the dark surroundings uselessly. Why? He really had no idea. It was stupid. He didn't care. He couldn't actually see for shit.

He frowned as he saw bubbles float up past his face.

Delving deeper into the icy waters, he reached into the dark; attempting to grab whatever he could. At least this way he could guarantee himself that the informant was dead.

A soft, slim figure met his hands and Shizuo pulled it towards him. Something fought his grasp.

_Of course, just my luck…_

He pulled harder and felt himself starting to strain a bit. Whatever was holding this down was heavy as hell. Reaching down, the debt collector ran his hand down to meet metal and what felt like a block of some kind.

_Cinder blocks? Really?_

He reached around until he found a lock and ripped it from its place. The links of the metal chains loosened slightly and allowed him to pull them away from the body in his arms. The head of the person hit his shoulder as he worked.

The person was out cold.

The weight of the block (or blocks, he wasn't too sure) fell away into the depths of the water and Shizuo held the body close to him as he pushed them up. The water pressure was giving him a headache already.

Light flickered above him as he propelled them both vertically. Shades of black became dark grey. Grey turned to lighter grey. Fish swam past as dark bodies around them. They avoided the two as they had done before he had found the unconscious one.

Finally they broke the waterline and Shizuo gasped for air. His lungs burned slightly from air deprivation. Whoever he had just saved had better be damned grateful otherwise he was going to dump them back in.

They moved slowly to the shore and Shizuo laid the person on the ground before finally looking at his catch.

_**A/N: Convenient rescue! Shizuo for the win!**_


	3. Chapter 3

He should toss him back in.

…

Orihara Izaya. He had just saved his least favorite person in the entire world. Screw all the issues of politics and the troubles of finding work with his short temper, this was far worse.

The informant didn't appear to be breathing. His pale features looked ghostly in the dim light. Any signs of life, a chest rising and falling or a twitch here or there, was absent completely. It was as if he were really gone from this life.

Shizuo expected to feel a lot of things by this. He expected to feel rejoice. He expected to laugh and smile at the Flea's death. The feelings of anger in him to suddenly and miraculously vanish with the knowledge that his one foe was vanquished forever; he should be crying in bliss.

Rather than any of that, he plugged the man's nose and breathed into his mouth; pounding down on the man's chest just hard enough to force him to breathe. He continued to strive to bring life back into the informant. The pale silhouette beneath him remained still. He shook his head and moved faster, forcing the man to take in air. He locked lips with him and breathed deeply into him.

"Come on, Flea."

The man didn't move. Not a flicker of life came from him.

Shizuo pounded his chest harder and continued CPR. The cold night air whipped past him, stirring their damp hair. Still, the informant didn't move.

"No. No. No. Louse… Izaya…" His voice carried a note of pleading in it as he worked.

Water finally trickled from the raven-haired man's mouth. Coughing occurred, but those red eyes didn't open. Shizuo leaned back and stared at his hands numbly. He…

He'd saved Izaya…

The lightning illuminated the blood smeared on his hands. Blood? Looking over to the informant, Shizuo found the man to be bleeding badly onto the shore. He loomed back over the man and lifted his shirt to find stab wounds winding up his chest.

The guy had been beaten. Badly.

Shizuo stood up and headed back to his belongings, picking them up and dialing Shinra as he returned to the shore. The informant was at least breathing now. His chest moved weakly.

_"Hello, you've reached the voicemail box of Shinra! I'm probably enjoying a meal with the love of my life and future wife so just leave a message and I'll call you back."_

"Idiot." Shizuo hung up and snaked his arms around the small person, picking him up and cradling him to his chest. With no clue as to the Flea's residence in Shinjuku, Shizuo found himself returning home. The rain pouring buckets down upon them as they walked past throngs of people under umbrellas, attempting to get to their own destinations in their own good time. Other people passed looking as soaked to the bone and freezing as he felt.

His apartment building was thankfully all quiet and shut in as he entered, heading up to his pad. He turned sideways and pressed the elevator button to his floor. A soft bing filled the otherwise quiet peace of the building. Doors shut and Shizuo found his gaze returning to his catch. A pale hand dangled from his arms as the raven-haired man lay fully unconscious in his arms. Any signs of that arrogant smirk or abhorrence replaced with a guise of tranquility. He looked…

Another bing previewed the opening of the doors and Shizuo shook his head to leash in his chaos of a mind. He maneuvered them out of the elevator and shifted the light bundle in his arms so that he could unlock his door. With a flick of the light switch, he filled the room with artificial light and stepped through the threshold with his newfound roommate for the night. He would have to call Shinra in the morning and patch the man up the best he could for the night.

With that in mind, the debt collector headed to the bathroom and laid the man upon the tile, abandoning him for a moment to lock the front door. He grabbed his bandages from under the bathroom sink and began to lift the informant's shirt again. It looked like he was going to have to use a lot of gauze. The stab wounds were in no particular area alone. If anything, they seemed to encompass his lower chest and down towards his pants.

He could almost curse his luck at that last part. They very last thing he wanted to do was strip and work anywhere near the damn informant's…

Well, it was only reasonable.

Good thing for him, the wounds weren't deep enough to make him bleed out that badly. He was most likely alright. The gauze rolls quickly dwindled as he poured alcohol over the man and wrapped him up just tight enough for the bandages to stay put. The scent of alcohol filled the room and Shizuo paused to gather up the energy to actually pull the informant's pants down. Slowly, inch by inch, his clothes gave privy to his pale lower body. Tossing the dark, torn cloth aside, Shizuo began to quickly work on patching up the Flea's lower body.

He expected the man to open his eyes and yell hentai or even to awaken and laugh maniacally as he leapt up and went sprinting to the door. No, that wasn't entirely true, but it was what he was used to seeing. It seemed wrong to see the man in such a weakened state of being. It didn't seem natural.

Eternity later, Shizuo pulled back and surveyed his handiwork. Not bad for someone who was only used to patching himself up. It was probably better than what he did for himself. He would never have believed it of himself, but he had helped the informant.

He gingerly pulled the Flea into his arms and carried him to the living room, settling him on the couch. The old blanket on the back of the couch, he threw over the small figure before going to shower.

For once he didn't feel like killing the man.

It almost made him wonder if he had ever really wanted to.


	4. Chapter 4

Light refracted throughout the kitchen and into the living room as a low scream emerged from the teapot on the stove. Shizuo hurried out of his room, pulling his pants up as he went. It was with muzzed hair and a great amount of sleepiness that he turned off the stove and sighed.

Shinra was still not answering his phone and worse yet, he was having to go to work early this morning. As much as he trusted a louse in his apartment building he would rather be caught dead in some alley than leave Izaya alone for a minute near his belongings. Sure, he looked all innocent on the couch and was being completely serene and would look to anyone who didn't know him to someone of unfortunate circumstance, but in reality the guy was about five seconds from getting up and probably torching the building just to spite him.

…

No, Izaya would be far worse than that. He would probably start making useless phone calls and leave the television on. He would run up all his bills and the next thing he knew he would probably be being arrested again for something he had no idea about.

Trusting the man alone would be the worst plan of all time.

"…nn…Shizu…" The flea murmured in his sleep and frowned a bit in his sleep before continuing to doze.

There… The flea was clearly dreaming of killing him. Yes, mass mutilation with that stupid piece of crap knife of his.

Shizuo pulled out a smoke and started to light it as he watched the little one before him. Epitome of calm… model of patience… most likely to probably be faking.

That would be just like him too. CRAP! He hadn't even thought of that. Here he had taken the damn flea in and helped him to stay alive… He still didn't even know why he had done that! He must be insane. Blood loss.

It was clearly all the informant's fault.

Shizuo found himself wrapping his hands around the informant's throat as he grew more outraged.

The louse had most likely gotten someone to cut him up…

"Shizu… can't…die…" The informant shivered and rolled over, hurting himself in the process of curling up. The wounds on him started to bleed through the spare shirt he was wearing and Shizuo shook his head. No matter what he had done, he would most likely have to wait for the stupid doctor to stop obsessing over Celty so that he could get over here. Tom would have to wait; he couldn't leave the flea alone.

_**~.~**_

_**A/N: -headdesk- **_


	5. Chapter 5

A sensation ran through his endless darkness. A streak of red cut through the black surroundings, the pain was horrible. Was this what death felt like? What ever happened to those icy hands of death that were composed so much about?

Izaya tried to see something, anything in the night around him. It suffocated him. It swirled around him and threatened to remain. He couldn't move. He could hardly breathe.

"Shizu…" He tried to scream, but his lungs felt fill of water. Right, he had been dumped into Tokyo Bay. That was why he felt this way.

"Shizu…" The others… they were following the orders of that other informant. "Can't…die…" He couldn't die yet. He had to stop that other one. The dark haired guy with his hatred of humans, he would ruin everything. Chaos, not the interesting kind but boring mass chaos would ensue.

Izaya fought to run. He fought to breathe. It was as if he were attempting to fight the very essence of life. There were no options available. He tried to call out to the debt collector again and briefly wondered why. The man would never save him. Hell, he would probably be thanking his clients for their actions in killing him.

"Shizu…o…"

He felt his chest throb and found himself unable to breathe. The darkness closed in around him and coerced itself into him. What point was there, it almost seemed to ask, why fight when everything was over.

"Damn it Izaya! BREATHE! BREATHE YOU DAMN LOUSE!"

Izaya felt hands pounding down on his chest and warmth against his lips, forcing air to fill him deeply. Rhythmic beats made his lungs return to work and a hand went to his mouth to make him continue to keep his mouth open to accept the oxygen.

"Don't you dare die on me!"

Izaya tried to move his hands up to his face, to feel that hand keeping his mouth open, to feel the face that was pressed against his, to feel the person who was bringing such feeling into his being.

That voice continued to shout at him, threatening to kill him. It threatened to destroy his office, his home, call Shinra to experiment on him, and Izaya listened to it in a mixture of foreign emotions.

Why… did that sound like… "Shizu…"

"Damn flea, don't you dare die. Not unless I'm killing you." The voice sounded immensely relieved as the pounding and warmth moved away. Izaya tried to find the blonde in the pitch black night, but again his eyes remained unseeing.

"…"

Arms held him close and pulled him into something else warm. There was something soft under him, a body? He couldn't quite tell…

"Get some sleep."

Izaya wanted to laugh at that. Sleep, he felt like he was dead. The last thing on a list of any killed soul was to remain in slumber. It sounded pathetic. He fought again to find the strength to move. He had work to do. He didn't have the time to waste being like this, whatever this was. Yet… within mere minutes, Izaya lost himself in the darkness again. The sounds of a city briefly became perceptible.


	6. Chapter 6

Shizuo shut off his television from the latest of his brother's movies. Running a hand through his hair, he glanced down at the sleeping figure in his arms. Izaya had remained stable and, much to his chagrin.

Pulling the, by now, highly abused phone over, Shizuo carefully withheld his ire and dialed the same number again.

Damn Shinra, just pick up the phone and pick up your shitty excuse of a friend.

_"Moshi moshi! Someone better be dying,"_ the sing-songy voice was irreplaceable.

"What the fuck, Shinra! Answer your phone when I first try to call you!"

_"…Ah, Shizuo… Um… Can this wait- CELTY YOU LOOK AMAZING IN THAT!" _The doctor started to gush on about Celty and Shizuo felt the informant cuddle his leg more against his chest. The damn flea was getting too close to his… Heat overflowed onto his face as Shizuo interrupted Shinra.

"SHINRA! God dammit, the damn louse got beat the shit out of."

_"Okay Celty, you take your time…" The doctor laughed again before apparently returning his attention to the phone, "hmm? You were saying?"_

"Stop fawning over your roommate and come pick up this louse!"

_ "Hmm? Izaya-san? What's he doing over at your…Shit, you didn't kill him did you? I'm in Okinawa right now!"_

The blonde's normal skin tone paled to that of the flea's. "What do you mean you're in OKINAWA! WHY THE HELL ARE YOU THERE?"

_"I decided that Celty and I should take a much needed vacation. So we're in Okinawa."_

A hand went brushing roughly though the debt collector's hair again before, "… fine, just give me your temp's number and I'll have them pick the damn-"

_"Huh? Temp? Oh! I don't have one_!" He laughed again and Shizuo felt something brush against his crotch.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE ONE?"

_"There are no backup doctors for the underground. They'd probably all be killed. Anyway, no need to worry; I'll be back in a week and I'll take Izaya then. Just dump him at his house or something and tell his secretary to watch him."_

Huh, that seemed easy. "Where's his house?"

_"Heh, forgot about that. I have no idea."_

"THEN WHY DID YOU RECOMMEND THAT AS AN OPTION!" Shizuo forced himself to reign in his anger and he tried another approach. "What's the secretary's number."

_"No idea…"_

"HOW DO YOU KNOW HE EVEN HAS ONE THEN?"

_"Remind me to take Celty shopping more often. Hmm? Oh! You're still yelling. Just check his phone or call his sisters. They should know!"_

"His phone was dumped in the water with him and doesn't work. Give me his sisters' numbers and I'll call them."

_"Damn, forgot about that too. I don't have their number since they both got new phone numbers from Izaya."_

A thousand different images of tossing the informant from his apartment window whipped through Shizuo's mind before he pulled himself together and pushed the flea away from his crotch again; allowing the man to keep his leg to cuddle up with. "So what the hell am I supposed to do?"

_"Er… I don't suppose you could just watch out for Izaya until I come back, do you? He's actually a nice enough guy…" _Shizuo stared at his phone to make sure he was still talking to someone and not going insane. "_once you get past the whole arrogance and controlling nature and his psychological rhetoric."_

"I'm not watching the damn flea!" It was confusing enough that he had actually saved the bastard.

_"A week. If he's not bad enough that you have to take him to a hospital then he'll probably be up and out of your hair before I even come home. He's a jerk, but he has limits to his nature. He won't do anything if he knows he's too weak to get away with it."_

"…Shinra-"

_"Please! I just got Celty down here and when was the last time I ever got her to leave Tokyo?" _He was practically begging into the phone and Shizuo had to admit that the guy had a point. _"One week is all I'm asking!"_

"…Fine."

_"Shizuo! I hope you know this means a lot! I'll see you in a week. CELTY~! Wifey~!" _Shinra hung up and Shizuo tossed the phone across the room before watching the flea cuddle more. What the hell was his deal? Slowly, he moved his leg away and began to rewrap the informant's reopened wounds. The damn louse needed to stop moving. He probably needed to go to a hospital, but for some reason Shizuo couldn't bring himself to take the man there.

His hands went around the flea's throat and tightened a bit. Here was the point he had been waiting for; the flea was at his mercy. There was no chance of escape for the informant. The only thing to stop him was himself. Shizuo stared at his hands, a few shades darker than the louse's skin. The fragile, slender neck was so weak that his mere hands could send the raven-haired man out of his life forever more. Izaya, were he awake, would not admit that he was caught. More likely so, he would smirk and try to strike back with his knife.

Without thought, Shizuo saw his hands more upwards. They cupped the informant's face, tracing the man's lips. They roamed north and wove through his hair. The informant was so soft. He was a lithe figure in his arms. Nothing like he himself, the flea was more womanly than most.

The dark lashes hovered apart before those red eyes looked up at him, glazed over with weariness and thoughtless oblivion. The man shifted as if to sit up before wincing in pain.

"Fuck you, Shizu-chan." The man's voice sounded somewhat groggy.

"You look like shit, Flea." Shizuo moved his hands away and acted like he hadn't been just touching the informant.

The informant's eyes shone in malice as he returned the glare that Shizuo was giving. "Not as bad as you're going to look."

He continued to shift on the couch and Shizuo felt himself smirk for the first time ever in the presence of his rival. "And just how are you going to do that?"

Izaya looked up at him a moment before he smirked crookedly, "looks like you got me, Shizzy! What are you going to do now? Kill me?" His laugh rang through the room.

"No…"

"I'm already halfway dead though." He stopped laughing to give the debt collector a serious look, "finish me."

Shizuo looked at the man in front of him. Beaten and tattered, bleeding out of several places due to his own movements.

"Shizu-chan," Izaya spoke in a sing-songy voice. "This is a once in a lifetime offer here. I guarantee that if I get the chance that I'll not hesitate to kill you."

"Why," the question came out of him before he could think.

"Why? Why what?" His face fell into a scowl, "we hate each other, remember? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ignoring him, Shizuo produced his pack of cigarettes from his pocket and lit a stick, watching the smoke flow through the air as he exhaled..

"Hey! Did you not hear me? I said you could kill me!"

"…So why did you get dumped in Tokyo bay?"

"Fuck you."

God, it felt good to be in charge of their encounter for once. It was a rather pleasant change of events. All the normal anger, hatred, and murderous intent seemed to seep out of him, leaving him in an almost euphoric state. Perhaps it was the fact that the louse seemed to be unable to sit, let alone attack him. His bite was gone, leaving behind nothing but the bark.

Not that that would ever prevent Izaya from attempting to remain on his pedestal of arrogance. "Shizu-chan~! Are you trying to be a nurse or something?" He picked up a high, womanly voice and attempted to mock him, "oh no, look at the poor flea. He appears to have gotten hurt. Oh well, since I'm a monster and can't get laid, I think I'll just take him home and fuck with him for pleasure."

Shizuo felt some ire sweep through him, but Izaya's expression kept him from kindling that spark of anger into a storm of fury. He looked angry. He was attempting to get his way through goading.

_Nice try, Flea, _Shizuo thought as he continued smoking.

"I bet you were jerking off to my bloody body. You love this, don't you? My mutilated body probably washed up on shore and you found me; or perhaps you decided that this was a brilliant method of torture."

The debt collector shut his eyes and took a long drag from his cancer stick. "Flea, I really don't give a shit what you say."

"Because I'm right."

The blonde shoved a pillow at him and sat back to try and enjoy his evening. "Just shut up and be thankful I bothered to help your ass."

"Yes, because you just absolutely adore me, Shizu-chan." The informant pushed the pillow off of himself and glared again.

Shizuo moved forward and exhaled into the informant's face, the smoke curling around the informant's soft, pale features. Those red eyes shuttered closed and his face clenched to keep the whirling smoke from lingering on him. "Listen up louse." The debt collector lifted the man's chin and looked deeply into the crimson pools that reflected back at him. "I don't know why you ended up in the bay and I don't give a shit. Shut up, get better, and stay out of 'bukuro."

~.~

_**A/N: Sorry for the slow updates. I have a whole bunch of crap going on. I will update another chapter much faster. Promise. **_


	7. Chapter 7

Izaya really had no idea why Shizuo was acting this way and currently he really didn't give a damn. Everything was burning inside him. Everything was threatening to kill him. His head throbbed, his eyes kept threatening to fall as if he hadn't slept in days and, worst of all, he had a feeling that if he made any more motions to leave then his stomach would relieve itself of its contents. Again the blonde seemed to blur and sway under his intense glare.

Izaya was going to faint. Soon.

"Come on Shizu-chan~!" He would not be that person to show weakness in the last few minutes of his life. There would be no begging or crying or pleading for life; at least, not if he could help it.

Still, the blonde remained silent as he smoked into his face and watched him. His face was a mask of indifference.

How bothersome.

Very well then, he would just have to take matters into his own hands.

Izaya shuffled towards the edge of the couch and prepared to fall off and bleed to death. _Vallhala, here I come~_

_ …_

_ or not._

Shizuo held him in place and his mocha colored eyes shone in shock. "Don't even think of trying that Flea."

"Hmm? Trying what? I was going to get a glass of water since someone is a terrible host."

Shizuo shook his head, "You can't handle anything right now."

"Really; and what, pray tell, led you to this deduction, my dear Watson?"

"You already woke up twice before and have wanted the same thing."

…

Izaya threw his head back and laughed, despite the terrible pain and the horrifying implications of what the man had said. "I've woken up twice? Really? Am I becoming like some great damsel in distress from all the movies? What? Are you going to find a way to live with an amnesiac who suddenly finds himself deeply in love with the monster that saved him?" He forced himself to stop laughing for the sake of his chest that was burning hotter than hell. "I'd hate to break it to you, but I remember everything, even my hatred of you." Shizuo leaned back on the couch and began to rub his head as though he was developing a large headache. "Shizu-"

"Are you really that incapable of shutting the hell up?"

"Yes," Izaya smiled at him happily before beginning to whine again. He didn't know how or why, but this was all his fault. If it weren't for Shizuo, he would have died a bloody, but extravagant death. Not that he wasn't grateful for some extra decades upon decades of life, but still… "-and furthermore Shizu-chan, your couch is uncomfortable. Do us all a favor and go die."

The man was hardly listening before he reached over and grabbed a glass from the end table. He drank liberally before setting it down and propping his feet up on the coffee table. "You're welcome, Flea."

Huh? Had he said thank you? What in the- Izaya paused in thought as he felt the empty space in his pocket. The void of his pocket was unnervingly vast.

_"The infamous switchblade. A classic," the dark figure chuckled as he held the switchblade up to shine in the storm's fierce might. "You won't mind if I take this, do you? It's not like you'll need it where you're going."_

"IZAYA!"

"Huh?" Izaya looked up blankly as he was snapped from his reverie.

"I asked you what you were thinking." The debt collector frowned at him and felt his forehead.

"I do believe I told you to fuck off, Shizu-chan."

~.~

There was a strange quiver to the informant's comment. After about five minutes of the man actually shutting up, Shizuo had almost thought the man had fallen asleep. The look that he'd had on his face however; that had claimed a different story. The normal pale features of the man had turned ashen, his eyes dimmed. The normal crimson color had gone into a deep burgundy, making it seem like Izaya was dying on the inside.

By the way the man was acting though, Shizuo had prepared to ignore him and was going to until he started to look away. Izaya was actually shaking. Tremors caused his hands to shift in his lap as he looked off towards the living room wall. His fists clenched tightly as he gazed off into space.

_"Shizu-chan~!" Izaya dodged another vending machine and smirked as he continued on._

_ "IZAAAYAAAAA-KUNNNNNNN!" Shizuo lofted a bench into his throwing hand and aimed towards the informant as they ran down the streets of Ikebukuro. The city goers paused and retreated to the buildings while tourists snapped a photo. The debt collector was oblivious to it all as he watched that damn jacket flutter in the wind and the owner of said jacket leap and fly down the road ahead of him. They turned into an alley and Izaya turned to smile even more. "Izayaaaaaaaaa…" The name ripped from deep within the debt collector's throat as a low predatory roar, scaring the citizens into buildings lining the streets. _

_ "I bet you want to know why I was so kind as to stop that young man from shivering."_

_ Shizuo stalked forward, past stinky trash and the filthiest of grime that littered the alley. Finally, after years upon years of chasing, the flea was cornered. _

_ The informant didn't look worried in the slightest. "It's weak, you know, crying. All that pain and the tears that are shed is just attention grabbers. It won't bring back what is lost and neither will that guy's shaking and depression." _

_ Just mere feet away…_

_ So close…_

_ Just as the blonde became within grabbing distance to the man, Izaya lunged forward and sliced at him; creating yet another tear in his wardrobe. Shocked by the sudden movement, Shizuo took a step back and raised a hand to his chest, feeling the initial pain of another wound that would need Shinra's attention when he got the chance._

_ "I would love to stay and play with you today, Shizu-chan, but I have work to do. Dasvidanya." The raven-haired man sprinted off as Shizuo felt his anger overtake him. _

_ "IZAAAAAAAAAAAYAAAAAAAAAAA~!"_

Shizuo looked at the informant again as he thought back to that one particular chase of many. _Just attention grabbers. It won't bring back what is lost. _So why was he in such a mood.

There was only one way to find out. Shizuo dumped his dying cigarette in the ashtray and faced the informant head on. "What are you thinking?"

"…"

"Flea?" He snapped his fingers in front of the man's face and was startled when the man didn't respond. "IZAYA!"

"Huh?" Light flickered in the man's eyes as he came back to reality. Still he shook slightly. By now, a sheen of sweat had come to be on the guy. Shit, he wasn't running a fever was he? The last thing that Shizuo really wanted to do was have to take care of a sick flea. A healthy flea was bad enough.

"I asked you what you were thinking." Frowning, Shizuo reached forward and felt the warmth that radiated off the informant. He was getting sick.

"I believe I told you to fuck off, Shizu-chan."

"You're sick."

"Sticks and stones, Shizu-chan." The informant smirked and attempted to bury his face into a pillow. "…Dish shmelsh bad…"

"What," Shizuo frowned more as he stared at the man. How the hell was he supposed to know what the guy was saying when he was like this?

Izaya lifted his head up and rested his chin on the pillow, "I said, this pillow smells like shit."

"It smelled fine until I ended up having to have a flea sleep on it."

"Ouch!" The flea's eyes shone in his sick sense of humor and he managed to get up a bit more. "You're so mean~! No wonder you live alone."

"Yeah, well-"

_CRUNCH._

" Izaya!" Shizuo nearly jumped out of his skin as the flea started to fall off the couch again, something made a loud crunch sound and the informant's neck wound started to bleed out. Shizuo barely caught the informant. "Shit. I thought I told you to stop-" He paused at the idle limb body that remained unmoving in his arms. Shizuo hurried down the hall and flicked on the light to the bathroom. The tile shone the foubescent lighting around the room as the debt collector rewrapped the informant's neck. The man had fallen unconscious. Again, this feeling passed through the blonde.

He was far less annoying like this… There was something about the way he changed. Consciously, he was a complete ass. But right now…

The flea was so fragile looking. His face had quickly enough went blank, taking on a look of tranquility. That arrogant smirk faded into nothing and the furrowing of his brows disappeared. Well, time to stop these feelings that were running through him.

"Flea…FLEA! Get the hell up!"

He gently shook the informant and watched the man slowly return to semi-consciousness. Good, now he would go back to being a complete bastard and remind him why he hated the man.

"Shizu…" The informant sounded raspy, as if he were losing his voice.

"Yeah, get up." He felt himself giving the informant a murderous glare, but did nothing to stop himself.

The informant's arms moved slowly upwards, pausing as his wounds caused him to wince. Those arms went around his shoulders and the man adjusted himself to fit in the blonde's arms. That soft lithe body molded itself against him again, just like with his leg and the flea mumbled almost unintelligibly. Only a few words were audible, "no one can kill my Shizzy-chan…"

What.

The.

Hell?

The blonde remained immobile in the middle of the room, mocha eyes glued to the small man in his arms. The flea said… what?

The informant held onto his chest weakly and nuzzled into his shirt, reminding the debt collector of a stray cat. Still, something in him was reaching its limit. It felt like something was bottled up, ready to burst and overflow from his chest. The atmosphere was making him feel lightheaded, anxious. He couldn't describe it, and he dared not even try.

With a sigh, Shizuo carried the man to his room with him. It was just so that the stupid informant didn't kill himself by trying to dive off his couch again.


	8. Chapter 8

"Well?"

The man sat upon his seat facing the yakusa with his face hidden in the room's darkness. "The other informant isn't dead."

"We disposed of him. Now then, where are they?"

"No… He's not dead. My sources tell me that he's alive."

Shiki, his face turning dark and emitting its own aura of death, stood up and shook in outrage. "We took care of him. Stop playing with us or your fate will be no different."

"No… The young informant is currently in recovery at his an acquaintance's house. My sources infiltrated the apartment and have estimated that he will be at full operation in a meager few days."

"Impossible," Shiki motioned to his men and sat back down. "I had my best men handling the problem. I will not have my men being hunted and killed just for laughs. I want those documents and I want them all. If those were to fall into the hands of the police…" He let his sentence linger, unfinished.

"I understand, but that boy is alive. You did not have your men stay to make sure no one saved him."

"No one would save the informant. He was unloved even by his own family, let alone society at large."

"Again, you make assumptions, Shiki-san. If this is how you operate, then it is little wonder that the boy had your files. Tell me, do you trust every little kid that comes up to you looking for gossip?"

Silence was riffled with loosely contained anger. Shiki shut his eyes and nodded to his men to move forward. The stranger was quicker, getting up and backing to the door.

"I understand that you have obligations. On the other hand, I have my own needs and that includes not having that troublesome child running around Tokyo with all of us in his back pocket. He's going to attempt to turn us all in."

Shiki leaned back and tried to see his newfound ally's face, "is this killing of one of my best informant's for your sake or mine?"

"It's for both yours and mine. I can always just fade into the molding, but you… You have the needs of your men to worry about. All those things happening around you; we can't have Izaya ruining it. It would kill you. The police would kill you because let's face it," the man opened the door to the room. "You would never allow yourself to sleep in a cell for an hour, let alone a lifetime. Good night."

Shiki watched the figure leave and remained in his seat. Sighing, he forced himself to look out the rainy night's window. The chaos of a storm billowing across the city, causing people to run for cover. "He's still out there…"

"Yes," one of his unfaced men stepped forward with a phone and nodded, "we just checked the man's story. A woman in the Ikebukuro apartment complex saw Heiwajima Shizuo carry an unconscious man with him to his apartment. The man fits Orihara's description."

"I see…"

"What should we do?"

Shiki turned and shut his eyes, his intake of air leaving his men waiting anxiously. "What choice do we have? No loose ends. I want this handled silently and stealthily. The two men killed each other in a fight. No one would suspect anything less of them."

"Yes, sir."

Three of the men started to leave the room.

"Oh, and gentlemen?" They paused in the open portal and Shiki stared out at the small dots moving upon the pavement below. "I don't want any mistakes. Orihara living through our torture and dumping once is insulting enough. I expect some semblance of our dignity to be returned to us."

Nods met this statement before the men left their leader to ponder upon the penthouse window bench.

~.~

It felt as if the world had come to stop existing. That mop of blonde hair kept coming into view after what would seem like ages. Sometimes it would seem as if the man hated him. Shizuo would grow more and more furious, glaring at him and forcing him to swallow food. Always complaining what a pain he was. It wasn't like he was going to stand for it, but something was wrong with him. Izaya couldn't find his voice. He stared up at the blonde and often glared, trying to his point across. After many eternities though, it appeared that the blonde was getting to be less angry.

Finally after eternity, the debt collector returned to the bedroom and sighed as he dumped a bag on the ground. "I see I can trust you not to burn down my house while I go shopping."

_Fuck you, Shizu-chan!_

Izaya didn't have the energy to even glare at this point. He rolled over weakly and faced away from the blonde, smelling him everywhere. The traces of his scent and the smell of smoke were hard to miss.

"Izaya, you could at least bitch at me, damn louse." What he said sounded like it would be said in anger, but it sounded tired, worried. The man crossed the room and settled down next to him. Mocha colored eyes gazed downwards, impassively watching him. It was annoying. Izaya reached up, but couldn't put any force behind his hand. Rather than reaching up and smacking the man's face, his hand landed on the other's cheek as if he were cupping the guy's face. A blush began to blossom across Izaya's face as he realized how that could be taken. Ugh, but that was disgusting.

Shizuo blinked in surprise at the gesture before holding his hand there. He hesitated on the edge of the bed before getting up and smiling faintly. It almost wasn't there, but, much to Izaya's horror, it was definitely noticeable and it was unsettling. "I'm going to go get us something to eat. You get some rest and we'll eat in the kitchen if you have more energy when I get back."

His hand lightly squeezed the informant's before his hand was lowered to the bed. The whole limb tingled and the informant felt his face burning in shame. The guy was supposed to kill him! Why wasn't he dead yet?

More importantly, the others were supposed to have made their move onto the city, shouldn't there be news of that out. Shouldn't Shizuo be trying to force information out of him? Blaming him?

Eternity of nothingness returned as Izaya gazed upon the ceiling. The vast planes of white plaster met his gaze. The sounds of the city sounded so far away. Car horns, people traveling, and the pitter patter of rain on the window were buffered here. It was haunting. Everything seemed like it was long gone, as if the only thing that remained was him. The only unchanging variable was him and even he was…

A lump formed in his throat and Izaya shut his eyes, unable to accept that this was indeed occurring. The blonde returned and sat down next to him, looking far too comfortable and relaxed to possibly be anywhere near him.

_Stop looking at me like that, Shizu-chan. _

The man reached over and began to help him sit up, "careful. From what Shinra told me, you might still bleed out again if you move too much."

_Stop acting like you care…_

His arms wrapped around him and lifted him to lean against the warm chest he often found himself cuddled up with now. Izaya dared not move as Shizuo began to carry him out of the room. They headed down the hall and Shizuo spoke about his workday.

"-things have been getting better around the whole city. Tom has even been having everyone start to pay up without me having to follow him into the actual building lately."

_I don't care…_

The debt collector set him down in a chair carefully and Izaya tried to smack him again, ending up with the same result. Shizuo looked at him again in surprise before he moved closer.

_No… you aren't going to… NO!_

Little by little, as if everything was slowing down, his face began to move closer. Mocha eyes always watching crimson: those crimson eyes unable to find the voice to stop him. The rain isolated them from the city, leaving Izaya feeling like he was trapped. He couldn't speak, he couldn't run; only sit and find himself at the mercy of his greatest foe, his most hated rival, his-

_Stop Shizu-chan! STOP!_

Shizuo's lips met his and hands cupped Izaya's face as if it were a delicate masterpiece. Those mochas closed slowly as more pressure came to his lips. Izaya's face felt like it had spontaneously combusted. It burned with his insides. This… this… _monster_ was touching him… _kissing him_… and he couldn't stop him.

He tried to shove the monster away, he tried to find enough energy to glare his point across. He tried to speak.

_Shit!_

Shizuo's tongue appeared where those biting words were supposed to appear. Shizuo's arms traveled down around his waist as he took those hands holding onto his shirt to be encouragement. He took the attempt at a glare as the signs of focusing on his part.

_Stop, _Izaya thought._ This feels…Stop, Shizu…o…_

The debt collector moved away a moment later and panted softly. His gaze returned and those warm, soft lips formed a more apparent smile as he pulled his chair over and grabbed the bowl of soup sitting on the table. Without a word, Shizuo began to feed him, keeping the soup from burning him or dripping.

_Why are you doing this, Shizuo? Why are you caring?_

Mere ashes of a brilliant, heartless informant; Izaya ate from the hand of his worst enemy.

_**A/N: Again with the slow update! Mein Gott! Oh well, you guys got some plot thickening details that I'm sure will suffice for the long wait. Oh, and yay for Shizuo getting the wrong idea! Woot!**_


	9. Chapter 9

It was around midnight that Shizuo awakened to feel like something was wrong. The room was lit briefly again by another furious storm. It had been three days that he had held the informant in his home.

Three days had changed his whole opinion of the man.

Izaya didn't speak. He didn't try to dive for the knives or try to kill him. He didn't mess with his belongings. No, that small, nimble informant remained where he was laid. When the blonde turned his back, the flea watched him with a blank expression.

…

It didn't make any sense, but Shizuo couldn't find that hatred that had fueled so many chases down Ikebukuro. How could he hate someone who listened to him and…

Shizuo felt heat run up to his face. Just how much had he- he froze, hearing footsteps in his apartment.

What the hell?

Leaving the dozing informant to sleep under the warm dark covers, he inched to the door and peaked through the small opening. Shadows moved quietly about his place, lifting objects, searching through his things.

It pissed him off.

Without a spare thought, Shizuo threw the door open. The wood slamming against the wall as the doorknob burrowed a large hole in the wall. The figures all jumped, spinning around on their heels to find fists thrown into their faces. The four moved to dodge and Shizuo roared in outrage. What the fuck were they doing here?

Shizuo didn't even glance at what he grabbed; he lifted the large object next to him, smashing it into the nearest person's face. He spun around and brought his leg swinging down on another one of the trespassers. Shrieks of pain and agony met his ears, doing nothing to squelch the bloodlust that was running through his veins.

The other two men were far more cautious than their counterparts. One pulled a gun, starting to aim when Shizuo grabbed him. Yes, guns were only so powerful when the enemy was fighting close combat with you. The debt collector flung the man into a wall and pummeled him in fury. He didn't think. He didn't stop. He just kept going and going; ignoring the small pleas of mercy.

"SH-IZ…," a strangled sound erupted behind him and Shizuo spun around to find the fourth figure had moved on to where Izaya had been. The informant lay on the floor of the hallway, a foot over his wounded neck. Those crimson eyes glazed over in self-loathing and ire.

It happened before he could quite feel himself move. His hand wrapped around the fourth man. That foot that had held down his informant twisted; broken in probably twenty different places. The informant laying unconscious as Shizuo stared down at the final intruder. Black eyes met his mocha colored gaze.

"You piss me off," the words dripped in acid as they poured out from his lips.

The figure watched him unseeingly, unmoving.

Shizuo tossed the man aside and ignored the whimpering and crying of the intruders. He walked over to the cordless phone in his home and dialed the police, keeping his gaze on the whole room. The men remained writhing in pain as Shizuo hung up and walked over their persons to get to his informant. The pale, raven-haired man was out like a light; his breathing stable enough, but his neck bleeding yet again.

Arms winding around his waist, Shizuo lifted the informant into his arms. One step after another, he carried his houseguest to the bathroom. A flick of the switch lit up the tiled room, the turning of a knob bringing a flood of water into the basin of the sink. Shizuo numbly perceived the blood on their persons. The dark fluid having stained both his clothes and the shirt that Izaya had borrowed for the night.

Turning away from the guy, Shizuo looked up and caught the image on the bathroom mirror; the bloodstained face of his own self. The dark look set upon his visage. The unwavering gaze that held his own…

Shizuo looked away and opened the cabinet, grabbing a cloth and running it under the pouring sink water. He wiped the blood from his face and settled into place next to Izaya, his arms pulling the man against his chest. Meticulously, the cloth was swept over the informant. It wiped away the night's horrors. It wiped away the blood. It awakened the man from his excruciating oblivion. Crimson orbs widened to perceive the blonde staring down at him. Shizuo rubbed the man's arms and tried to calm the racing pulse going through him.

The informant watched him, not frowning or looking away in horror and disgust. Those eyes watched him with something else. They kept looking at him. It sent the adrenaline in the debt collector into a different course of action. His lips met those tired lips that lay under him, parting to delve deeper into the informant's. Pressure met with him and Shizuo felt himself burning. His body overpowering the man's, causing the informant to take to laying upon his back. Both pairs of eyes shuttered closed, heavy and drunk with the lust reverberating around the small room.

Closer and closer, their bodies pressed together. All thoughts and worries of reality fleeing from Shizuo's mind as he grew addicted to the taste of the flea. So small and soft… So very soft… And warm…

"Sir!" The door off in the distance forced reality to return. Shizuo pulled back, glaring at the bathroom door. Forcing himself despite the burning desire rippling through him, he left the informant lying on the ground. Those crimson eyes now wide, matching the color of his flushed face.

Straightening himself, Shizuo opened the door to the officers and they poured into the room, cuffing the figures lying on the ground. He showed his id, he explained what happened, leaving out the informant so that they wouldn't take him away. Shizuo watched the whole ordeal from the side, feeling himself cooling off. The officers recommended a psychiatrist in case he had post-traumatic stress. They wrote down his statement and, finally, they left.

As soon as that door shut, Shizuo returned to his informant. The man was dozing on the bathroom floor. The blonde sat down and began to work on rewrapping that neck wound again, he checked the other wounds and found that he could remove most the bandages. Izaya could probably walk by now…

Oh well, he didn't need to go anywhere.

Without analyzing his thinking or the emotions running through him, Shizuo carried Izaya back to his room and changed him into another shirt before pulling him into bed. The flea was such a warm little thing…

~.~

"You're men were beaten."

Shiki sat in his dining room and sighed as he heard the news. "I am aware of that."

The man across from him adjusted his scarf and smiled, "you underestimate what is going on."

"I underestimate nothing. My men needed to be aware of what I meant when I said do not fail. It was their own fault for being foolish." Stabbing the medium rare steak, Shiki continued eating. "I will not tolerate failure."

The guest smiled more darkly and remained sitting resolute in his seat. "You don't suppose that your little informant is a homosexual?"

"No. He may have been many things, but I would have known if he were anything of that sort."

"I see… Tell me, Shiki-san. What do you know about the fortissimo of Ikebukuro?"

Juice oozed onto the plate as Shiki stabbed another piece of the slightly warmed raw meat, eyeing his guest with a look that promised prolonged torture.

_**A/N: -spinning in computer chair- Weee~!**_


	10. Chapter 10

Bleary eyes opened, pupils adjusting to the stream of morning light that shone through the window of the apartment. The crimson gaze found a mass of blonde locks meeting his gaze.

Shizuo…

The man had saved him; actually rushed to his aid without a second's hesitation. It was stupid. No one else would have bothered, but Shizuo had. The intruder had actually come in and dragged him out by his neck, tossing him on the floor and, like that dying wire being wiggled for that last few minutes of audio, Izaya had actually found his voice.

The violent monster of Ikebukuro had turned to find Izaya as a bargaining chip to the seizing of his destructive nature. Fight and the informant would die, but Shizuo was not that clear cut. Not simple in his nature. He had rushed the person holding him down, his face splattered in blood and set in unrivaled hatred.

"Izaya-kun…"

Looking up, Izaya met the face of that monster and found the debt collector pulling him close; cupping his face as he woke up to the early dawn's light. Shizuo yawned tiredly and cuddled closer.

Dammit, stop touching me! Izaya squirmed in his arms until Shizuo chuckled.

"Stop, you're just fine. Don't fuck up your bandages and healing wounds."

For that reason, and that reason only, Izaya stopped and relaxed in the man's arms. It was laughable. Him, conceited and brilliant, godly and amazing him, lying in bed with Shizuo. Shizuo: the monster, unpredictable and easily angered.

Why must the world hate him so? He loved his humans, expect Shizu-chan.

An alarm started its shrill ring and Shizuo groaned loudly, sounding like a bear getting up from a long winter. "Shit…"

Thank the world!

The body behind him pulled away, stretching before getting into an upright position and then standing on its two feet. Shizuo raised his arms up and stretched more before smiling faintly down at him.

Dear lord, Shizu-chan. Stop doing that! It's creeping me out, Izaya thought as he received the full view of such a grin.

"So I'll be gone most the day. Tom and I have to go to a lot of different places today. Less than yesterday though."

Do.

I.

Look.

Like.

I.

Care?

Izaya rolled away and curled up deeper in the sheets, soon feeling the blonde's hands running up the side of his body. "You like Ootoro, don't you?"

Hmm? That brought the return of Izaya's gaze.

Shizuo took advantage of the turned face to briefly kiss him, "I'll get some Russian sushi for us tonight." With that, the man got dressed and left.

The tingling sensation remained on Izaya's lips. Again and again, that stupid monster kept doing that. That… smooching, lovey-dovey shit that reminded him of some lovesick puppy.

Was the man a complete moron?

They had only been fighting for about eight years. It was not a very difficult thing to comprehend. Hatred was the only thing that flowed through their veins for one another. That was it. There was no ifs, ands, or buts about the whole relationship. It was perfect as is.

So what the hell, Shizu-chan? Why do keep kissing me and being so nice? Izaya sat up and smirked as he found he could sit. Perfect. He opened his mouth to shout rejoice, but that stabbing sensation swept up his throat. He would have sworn if he had found the words, but all that came out was air. It hurt to try to speak.

Correction: almost perfect.

That was no matter, he could still work. Celty merely used a phone and she got around in prime condition. Hell, maybe he could find some different methods of intimidation. First things first though, he needed to get the hell out of this playhouse with Shizu-chan. As cute and cuddly, fluffy and sweet as it was, it was disgusting and made him feel weak.

…

Ugh, weak…

Izaya stood up and forced himself to stay vertical, despite the pain. He pulled himself to the doorway, one foot in front of the other. He dragged his feet across the floor. It was farewell time.

Twenty feet quickly came and went as he approached the front door of the apartment. Knees shivered uncontrollably. Sweat appeared in mass upon his brow. Still, Izaya foraged on. The door, it was right there. Freedom, revenge, control: they were all just beyond that door. A shaking pale hand reached out for the brass handle. Slim, bony fingers wrapped around the sphere…

Then they fell.

Wind quickly flew past him as his traitorous limbs failed him. He hit the floor and wheezed upon the wood flooring. Pain wracked through him, causing him to shut his eyes and curl into a ball. So much agony. Why?

Why couldn't his beloved humans love him more…?

What had he done wrong?

~.~

_**A/N: I love reviews~! Oh, have I mentioned that this is my first Durarara fanfic? No? Well then… Review and encourage me. Also, poor Iza-chan. **_


	11. Chapter 11

"Shizuo-san, you seem in a good mood today."

"Hmm," Shizuo glanced over, turning his attention away from lighting his cigarette. Tom kept his pace up and nodded.

"I don't know why, but you seem more at ease."

Shizuo grunted and took a drag from his cigarette, letting the tobacco do its thing. The duo headed down another couple of roads before Tom motioned for him to stay and walked into the building alone. The dilapidated building behind him reeked of filth and vermin. Why anyone would give someone who lived here much of a loan was beyond his realm of thinking.

Footsteps approached and a figure stopped in front of him.

They remained in place for several minutes.

"Heiwajima Shizuo."  
>Another drag of his cigarette was the only response the stranger received.<p>

"Yes, well… I am a friend."

_Like hell._

"I came to ask you about Orihara Izaya. You heard of him?"

_So you're the one that called those men into my apartment._ Shizuo looked at the figure carefully and cursed the foul weather they had been having lately, it made for great places to keep distinguishing facial features hidden away from view. The man adjusted his scarf and grinned.

"I see you don't trust me. Shameful. I have done nothing to you… unlike Orihara."

Again, this punk was looking for trouble. The debt collector's hand broke the cigarette in his hand and dropped the meager stick to the ground; stomping it out. He to a step forward, hands disappearing into his pockets as he prepared to strike. "What the hell do you want?"

"I see you are a hard earned trust kind of person. Very well, I will leave. I'm sorry to have bothered you." The man started to hurry away and Shizuo growled, moving forward and giving chase.

"FUCK YOU!" He shouted in outrage as he lifted a stop sign from its place and began to run after the man in earnest.

"Such an angry individual, that's alright. I have need of that."

"Shizuo!" Tom's voice shouted after him, but that was beyond Shizuo's realm of hearing. Down street after street, turning through alleys and over fences, the two ran. The stranger disappeared again and Shizuo panted hard, hands on his knees. Damn, the bastard wasn't supposed to get away.

Defeated, Shizuo turned and headed to Russian Sushi, calling Tom as he walked to apologize profusely over his actions. Again, Tom proved understanding and told him to relax and take the night off.

"Hoho! Shizuo! Sushi for dinner?"

"Yeah," Shizuo nodded to Simon and entered the place, roaming around one small table after another. Strangers gossiped meagerly in their seats strewn about the place.

"Hey Shizuo!" The back crew greeted him cheerfully as they worked.

"I want my usual and the ootoro special to go."

"…ootoro… Shizuo, are you sure?"

"Yeah, just have it ready fast. I'm ready to kick back at home."

"You got it!"

The sounds of steaming and slicing resumed with a vigor as Shizuo sat down and waited. The whole place was tensed for flight. Of course, this wasn't anything out of the ordinary, the world seemed to want to flee in case of his ire. That lashing out of rash emotions that seemed to always lie just beneath the surface, it was annoying as hell.

"Sorry about the wait," his order was set down and Shizuo paid for it quickly.

"Don't worry about it." Shades pulled from his vest and flicked onto his face, Shizuo took his order and kept his face stoic. He walked out, ignoring all the looks and whispering to find himself walking headfirst into a heavy rain. The cold drops pouring down again.

Shitty weather kept coming back…

People went running through the streets as he continued walking calmly down the streets. A group of girls went shrieking into a building as lightning clapped overhead.

"Erika, for the last time! THERE IS NOTHING GOING ON THAT WOULD CALL FOR THIS WEATHER!"

"NO! This is like that weather that happens when two star-crossed lovers are trying to get away with something that is not supposed to be! Right Walker?"

"ABSOLUTELY!"

A commotion began to erupt in a nearby van as a group continued arguing. Almost pausing to look, Shizuo took one step after another towards home. He entered his apartment complex soaking wet, shaking his blonde hair and putting his shades away, thankful that they had been on so that he didn't have that downpour making him blind.

The whole place was silent again, doors were shut and the halls were humid. Air conditioning must have broken down again.

His apartment door creaked open as he hit something. Frowning, he peaked his head through and nearly dropped his packages. "Izaya!"

The informant was out cold on the floor. His head against the opened door as his body laid sprawled out on the ground. It was hard to tell if he were breathing.

Shizuo pulled himself into the place and set dinner on the ground before picking up the guy. He kicked the door shut as he checked Izaya over. Breathing was steady, no signs of damage. It looked like he had just fallen asleep by the door. What had he been trying to do?

Closer than the moon to the sky, Shizuo carried the informant to the couch and sat down; a hand combing through the louse's hair unconsciously. Within mere minutes, the television was on and another few had Shizuo pulling away to take dinner to the fridge. He wasn't hungry right now anyway.

Ignoring the growling of his stomach, Shizuo resumed watching TV and holding his informant close. The world almost seemed to stop existing as the sound of the beating, pounding rain kept society at bay.

It felt right.

~.~

It felt wrong.

Another long passage of time had felt like it had past. Eternity as Shizuo's doll; what a way to spend forever. Crimson orbs perceived the blonde's return to bed. After waking up to being pet on the living room couch, Izaya had tried again after the debt collector had left for work to escape again. He had not even got across the living room. He needed more energy.

This time around though, he had woken up on the floor to find Shizuo above him. Those warm arms pulling him up to carry him to the kitchen for "lunch". While he did love his precious ootoro, it was now ruined. He was not the "let's feed the flea from the palm of my hand and laugh brightly when he pouts for more" type of person. He wasn't some chick that needed someone to save him.

Damn, he hated the bastard.

Returning to the present though, Shizuo pulled him back into that overly warm embrace and rested his head on his shoulder, rubbing the informant's hip idly. "Get some sleep."

_Fuck YOU! _Oh, but Izaya hated this whole lack of voice problem that he was having. It was most likely Shizuo's fault. When he broke free from this torment, he would have to set the man up for some crime again.

…

_Was that Shizzy-chan's…_

_ No… That would mean Shizzy was a…_

_ No…?_

_ …_

Izaya felt his face burning a thousand different shades of shame as he felt the debt collector falling asleep, just not all of him.

No…

He had to get away. He had to get to work. He had so much to do and yet he couldn't get away from this clingy, stupid protozoan! He clung on like glue to hands.

Speaking of hands, Shizuo's started to rub circles up and down his arms. "Shhh… Go to sleep, flea. No one is going to come."

_…WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO BE ENCOURAGING?_

Oh, just one little weapon: a knife to slit the man's throat, or maybe a gun to shoot his chest. Oh, a nice pipe to bash his head in. Or even-

The sound of steady cool breathe hit the side of his neck, sending a series of shivers coursing down his back. Why oh why did that feel good? This was just plain inappropriate. Why couldn't the brute just kill him? It really wasn't that much to ask. A few minutes of strangling and he wouldn't have all this emotional crap going through him.

_Come on, Shizu-chan, _Izaya thought as he drifted off. _We hate each other. Killing is supposed to happen._

If only it were so easy…

_**~.~**_

_**A/N: I wish there were pics of this. I would save them as my computer background so that I could have more creative inspiration. XD**_


	12. Chapter 12

A long set of knocking came to the front door as the duo sat on the couch watching television. Feigning deafness, Shizuo continued to stare ahead to the game show that was occurring on the television. Izaya looked over to the door and nearly cried in joy at seeing the black smoke appearing on their end of the door. It flowed and expanded; filling the lock and opening the portal.

_Celty~_

Shizuo looked over as the deliverer and underground doctor came in, "hey."

Shinra stared at them both in shock and Izaya pointed at his throat, mouthing his loss of voice and glaring angrily. "What? Izaya? I can't hear you," the good doctor complained.

Shizuo looked down at him blankly and Izaya stopped, staring back at him.

The debt collector looked back over and nodded at them in greeting. "He's been quiet a few days. I think he might have lost his voice."

_Might have? And you _might have_ been holding me hostage in your nasty hideous apartment for who knows how long._

Shinra frowned, "lost his… Hold on." He walked over and glanced to Celty, "Honey, can you get my bag."

The dullahan tilted her helmet in understanding and hurried out again as the doctor began to do what he does best. Izaya winced as the man touched his neck. Pain laced through his thoughts as the examination continued. He could hardly breathe as Shinra continued with a frown that grew deeper and deeper.

"…Shit… SHIZUO! I thought you said you didn't injure him!"

"I didn't. He fell into the bay a week ago."

_It's only been a week? Really? _Izaya frowned at that and Shinra shook his head.

"It's called hypothermia! Was he shivering when he came out? Did he hit anything around here in his sleep or use too much energy? He's probably unable to speak at all! Has he even been able to walk?"

"He hasn't walked or spoken at all."

"…DIDN'T YOU THINK IT WAS A LITTLE STRANGE?" The doctor waved his arms around in shock and horror at what he was hearing. "Why didn't you take him to the hospital?"

"He wasn't that bad…"

"Wasn't that- HE WAS PROBABLY SHIVERING THE NIGHT YOU BROUGHT HIM HOME!"

"I wrapped him up in some blankets after I bandaged him-"

"THAT WOULDN'T BE ENOUGH! OH MY- I'm taking him with me. Come on, Izaya-kun."

_My hero. _

Celty returned and cocked her helmet as Shinra approached, "Celty, can you help me with Izaya, he's coming with us."

"I'll carry him dow-"

"No! I think you've done enough for him. Clearly I can't trust either of you to be near the other. I should have guessed that something like this would happen. You've only been fighting each other since you were in school together."

Celty put a hand on the man's shoulder and pushed him out before going over and typing on her PDA.

[Sorry, Shinra is just worried for his friend. We'll take care of Izaya.]

"I know. Thanks Celty."

Izaya briefly wondered why the dullahan's conversation with the debt collector and the blonde's kind reaction pissed him off to no end, but he felt the dark, swirling black surround him. Instinct told him to grow anxious and squirm, but he remained resolute as the woman carried him out to her bike. Shinra held him in between the duo as they moved away from the blonde's apartment building.

Finally, he would receive proper treatment and be able to return to reality. His foes better be ready, Orihara Izaya was back in business and may their gods have mercy on them for he was not pleased with a certain group of yakusa members.

_**~.~**_

_**A/N: SHINRA~! Oh yes, you have all pleased me with your reviews and thus earned a double update. XD**_

_**Yay! My humans love me! –attacked by blonde guy in shades-**_


	13. Chapter 13

Shizuo got food for himself and headed home. The rainy season had finally given in to more snow. It was winter after all. A light dusting of the white stuff had descended and temperatures had plunged to record lows. People were recommended to stay indoors.

Shutting his front door and setting his coat in the doorway, Shizuo took his shoes off and headed into the kitchen when a shadow moved in the living room.

"I see you are home. That is good. I would like to talk to you more."

That man from the other day was here. _In his apartment_! Shizuo put his food down and stiffened at the circumstance.

"I am truly sorry to be invading into your home, but I felt it necessary if we are to reach any type of… oh, je ne sais quoi… understanding? Yes, that seems correct. I would like for us to have a nice, short partnership."

Ignoring the warning adrenaline telling him to jump and attack the other, Shizuo sat down and glared at him. "What do you want?"

"You see! I knew we could act like reasonable adults this time!" He seemed alighted by the opportunity to speak.

"You're wasting my time."

"Ah, yes. I see. You are busy as well." The man shifted in his seat and looked at him quite seriously, "I would like for you to help me get into contact with Orihara Izaya. I would like to kill him and I would not force you to help me in any way, shape, or form… unless you wanted to, in the murdering of the informant."

Murder… Izaya?

"Why?"

"Why not?" The stranger laughed brightly, "the man has been a plague on society since he became an informant, possible longer. I have no real substantial records of his childhood. He has recently become a rather large problem. You see," folders appeared on the table as the man pulled out things from a briefcase, "I work for a large corporation that works in manufacturing various materials. Lately, we have been noticing that a large portion of our funds are going to an unknown overseas account. No one has been able to trace it yet, but we are sure that it is the same thing that has been occurring to other corporations in the area. We hired some help and they have been digging up information that it is the cause of an informant in the area. We believe that it is Orihara. He has all the computer capabilities and the knowledge to gain access. Not to mention, he holds rather large quantities of information on our businesses."

"Call the police." Shizuo pulled out a cigarette and the man nodded.

"We would, but you see… We don't have enough to actually get a warrant for arrest, let alone put him behind bars. He has to stop though; the companies are going to go into chaos if he doesn't."

"I hate violence. No."

"Shizuo-san! Uh…" The man paused, half standing. Slowly, cautiously, he sat down and sighed. "I help give over twenty billion people jobs in Japan. I invest in millions of jobs overseas and they fund into other jobs. If we run out of money then we will go bankrupt and people will starve to death."

Shizuo frowned, "…it wasn't Izaya."

"Hmm? Of course it was," the man opened a folder and started to point. "We have tracings to his accounts."

"Izaya would have no interest in doing something like this."

"…Do you know him that well?"

Glancing through the papers of deposit statements, Shizuo ignored him and almost sighed in relief as he found proof of the flea's innocence. "Here." He pointed. "I was with Izaya all week. He couldn't have made these deposits or sent any messages."

The stranger frowned, "are you quite sure-"

"He was watching television all day."

"Maybe you went to the bathroom and he-"

"He's been injured. He can't even walk right now."

The stranger paused and stared at him, "…can't…walk? What happened?"

"He was victim of a mugging," Shizuo lied, briefly wondering why he was doing all this. "He lost his voice too, so these phone calls that are listed couldn't have been made."

"I see…" A strange gleam appeared in the man's eyes as he put away the folders and smiled, "Thank you, Mr. Heiwajima. I cannot possibly thank you enough. I was so uncomfortable with the thought of killing the man and this… this information you've given me is a serious step in the right direction. My company will be relieved to know that it is someone else. Others, we can deal with by the method of the law, but Orihara… he is a difficult one. Too little information. I hope your friend gets better. It's a shame, we have such kind people in the world and yet muggings are still occurring."

Shaking hands, they both headed to the door.

"Again, sir, I wish your friend a speedy recovery. Thank you and good night." He walked out and Shizuo killed his cigarette in an ash tray.

"Friend."

It almost seemed funny. He and the flea had fought for so long that it seemed farfetched to consider one another anywhere close to friends, but…

It almost… felt like it was too weak a term.

Shizuo went into his kitchen and began to eat his dinner, thankful that it had been a short meeting so that his food hadn't gone bad.

~.~

"Izaya-kun! I am so sorry!" Shinra pouted from the computer chair nearby.

"I… hate you…." His voice, after several surgeries and many hours of hard therapy, was barely audible. It was extremely raspy as well. His career speaking over a phone was over.

"Hmm?" Shinra frowned and cocked his head, earning himself a well aimed can of cotton balls to the face. "OUCH! I SAID I WAS SORRY! AT LEAST YOU CAN WALK!"

True… Izaya was happy to have the strength to walk and the energy to survive for the day.

"Ah, now then. You should be about ready to head home. I will need you to take these pills for a few days. Be aware, I don't quite know the full side effects of them so you will have to come back if you feel anything out of the ordinar- OUCH! STOP THROWING THINGS AT ME!"

Izaya glared at him and grabbed a marker, writing on the wall. **I AM NOT TAKING YOUR EXPERIMENTS!**

"Izaya! MY WALL!" The doctor sighed before shaking his head, "They are weak dosages. I know exactly what they are supposed to do and the ingredients are no more dangerous than taking aspirin or cold medicine."

**YOU DON'T KNOW FOR SURE THOUGH?**

"Uh… With all things are risks, but for your voice, this should clear up all the rasping and hopefully help increase the strength of your voice box. It will take a while for you to get louder. You won't be yelling any time soon, that's for sure. That'll slow down the healing process." Shinra took his marker back and replaced it will the bottle of pills. "Call Celty and I if you need us."

Izaya walked out of the room and headed out, waving farewell to the dullahan and exiting to the street. He pulled up his hood and traversed the streets, feigning from the views of his beloved humans. He was not at his prime for once. This weakness of his… His voice being gone; it was hazardous.

"Izaya…"

He froze as he heard his name echoed in that voice…

The other informant.

The man was sharpening an object and walking closer. Continuing to walk, Izaya reached into his pocket for the knife he had pilfered from the doctor. It wasn't his sweet switchblade, but it was better than nothing.

"I heard that someone lost his voice…"

Damn, Shinra had a mouth.

Smirking, Izaya looked back and forced his voice to be as loud as possible, "Hate to break it to you, but I'm feeling quite peachy!" His signature smile set itself into place even as his throat burned. It was going to be a while before he spoke again.

"Really? You seemed distracted…"

Jumping up a fence in the alleyway, Izaya waved gleefully before making a run for it. His legs burned a thousand different types of pain before he escaped from notice. He panted and felt his body giving in to the aches and soreness of strenuous activity. He couldn't go home. They knew where he lived. He couldn't speak. He could only do so much actual activity…

No.

_It's the only option. If there was any other way- _

It was not going to happen.

_Just a few nights, it won't be so bad. It'll be like a little vacation. Take your laptop and new cell phone, kick back on the couch, watch some more mindless television-_

NO! NO! NO!

He was not going to go to Shizu-chan's place! It was not going to happen! He would rather risk being caught again. He would rather be dumped into the bay again. He would rather…

An hour later and Izaya was pounding on the apartment door.

"Hello- Flea?" The debt collector stood frowning in his doorway.

Izaya pulled out his phone and took a leaf out of Celty's book, using his phone as a voice.

[I still can't talk and I can't run so I need to stay with someone.]

"What about-" Izaya quickly typed up a response.

[No one else can have me stay with them.]

Shizuo looked at him a minute before grinning, shaking his head as if it were some pathetic excuse. "Fine, get in here. I was about to watch another episode of that crime show on television anyway."

_Oh joy_, Izaya thought as he picked up his bags and walked in, _quality time with Shizzy-chan! Kill me now!_

~.~

_**A/N: And again I double update just for you guys. XD**_


	14. Chapter 14

One television show later and the duo was about as uncomfortable as two people could get. There wasn't supposed to be a round two of quality time. It was supposed to end with Shinra saving the flea and making him better so that the two of them could go back to status quo. It wasn't supposed to be like this!

Shizuo munched on some popcorn as he watched television, growing more and more unamused by the nonstop typing that was occurring right next to him. The flea had three, count them, THREE computers out and running. One was propped open, downloading heaven only knew what. One was propped open, flipping through folders that Izaya was typing for on his other computer. Meanwhile, he entered and monitored several chatrooms. The flashing of opening and closing windows was slowly growing on his nerves.

Wasn't he supposed to be recovering? Should he be allowed to mess around with all this right now?

A long, loud yawn erupted from the louse before he began typing faster yet. A hand reached over as if to grab the glass of water he had gotten for the flea eons ago (which he had not even touched), but at the last minute, the hand moved over and began typing on the other computer, pulling up a file of documents.

"Izaya…"

A hint of a pink tongue appeared to wet his lower lip before said lip was bit down on. Crimson eyes narrowed as Izaya paused and stared at something in a chatroom. All clicking of the computer keys stopped. Sound in the living room went to the muted TV.

Then…

Not a second later…

Vigorous typing started back up, a smirk growing wide on the informant's face as he moved a hand over and began typing onto the other computer. He created another window and was soon filling that with information. A small photo of a stranger appeared on the screen to go with the folder.

"What's that?"

Izaya's gaze flicked over to him a minute before he smirked, "work."

"Yeah? So this is how you gather intel on everyone. I should have guessed that it would be saved on something. I doubted that you could remember stuff on everyone."

The flea snickered softly, "yeah, but I have a really good memory anyway."

"No one's is that good though."

"Ah, true." The typing continued and Shizuo leaned back. Waiting…

And waiting…

…

Bored with the way things were going, the debt collector pulled the laptop away from him and set it on the table with the other two. A murderous glare formed at the absence of the informant's computer. "I'm trying to work here."

"It's nearly midnight."

"It's nearly done."

"Fine." Shizuo gave it back and pulling out his pack of smokes. "I take it back at midnight."

"Gee wiz, mommy! Will you be tucking me into bed too," Izaya asked in a high pitched childlike voice. Shizuo nearly glared at him, but before he could do that, Izaya started to go into a coughing fit. The computer fell from his grasp as he doubled over on the couch and continued coughing.

"Stupid flea." Reaching out, he grasped the informant's wrist and pulled him against his chest, pounding on the man's back softly. Slowly, the coughing subsided and Izaya remained frozen.

"…What… are you doing… Shizu-chan?"

"I'm trying to help you."

"Stop. I… need…help…" His voice cracked and turned raspy as he spoke.

Hearing none of whatever the flea thought he was going to say, Shizuo dumped a blanket on him and, one by one, shut down his computers, leaving small responses on the chatrooms for him. The flea watched him cautiously, as if he were about to smash them and round on him.

He flicked the living room light off before heading to bed, leaving the flea in a daze in the living room.

~.~

He couldn't sleep.

It wasn't that he had energy, he was extremely tired. It wasn't that he had things to do. It was the fact that there was something missing… well, someone. That small preoccupied space that could not be replaced with his pillows; it was keeping him awake. It was cold. It was empty without him.

Be damned though if he was going to swallow his pride and go begging that idiot to sleep with him. That would be a horrible idea. No, it wasn't happening.

Mocha colored eyes stared at the ceiling.

Nothing.

Not a single wink of sleep washed over him, casting him off into a realm of peaceful oblivion.

Maybe some music-

The dark wood door opened a sliver and Shizuo shut his eyes, tensing up a bit in case he needed to dodge whatever was intruding his room.

"…Shizzy-chan~"

"What louse?"

Opening his eyes, he looked over to find the man glaring daggers at him. "..."

"What do you- Huh?"

Wordlessly, the informant walked over, moving the sheets enough so that he could climb in and snuggle into his usual spot. The small arms latched out to pull him over and cuddle his lithe person into the blonde's chest.

"…flea, what are you-"

"I hate you."

"Then why are you- Flea?" Shizuo looked down to find the man out like a light. Slumber started to descend on him as well as he rubbed the informant's shoulders. Briefly, he wondered why Izaya was here.

He hated the flea.

He tried to kill the louse.

Luckily for him, exhaustion rescued him from any theories that could be found.

~.~

_**A/N: I DECLARE THAT HATE/LOVE SMUT MUST COMMENCE! Review your opinions!**_


	15. Chapter 15

Maybe they were drunk.

No, they didn't drink last night.

Maybe they both ended up insane.

No, Namie had him tested last month. He was an ass and he was never allowed to return to said psychiatrist, but he was sane.

Oh! They were both in a twisted alternate reality and had actually gotten along for all these years.

…

The blonde's lips searing a path down from his neck was making it hard to think rationally. Izaya stared at him in shock, feeling himself becoming highly responsive to the debt collector's affections. His lower region stood up in shock after the months of cruel disregard for its needs.

"Shizu-chan…stop…" His voice was raspy again. Damn, why did he have to spring this first thing in the morning? Izaya tried to move away, but his body barely moved. Not to mention, seconds later there were calloused hands holding onto his hips, rubbing teasing circles into his sensitive spots.

Shit, it was too close to his…

SHIT!

Izaya started to go to kick the guy when he felt his legs move apart. Crimson eyes widened to large disks as he figured out what was going to happen.

No prep.

No lube.

All in.

SHIT! SHIT! SHIT!

"SHI-ZU…o…" DAMMIT! Why did his voice have to stop working with him just as he found himself in need of it?

Something very large and very pleased rubbed against his rear end and Izaya shut his eyes and tried to relax. This was probably going to kill him off anyway.

~.~

He wasn't quite sure why, but the look that was gracing the flea's face was second to none in his book.

"Shizu-chan…"

Breathlessly, the flea lay on his back, looking up at him like he always had during the week that he had been taking care of him. Shizuo smiled against his chest after kissing him all down his front, bombarding him. The brunette was shaking a bit.

Most likely cold…

"Before he could ask, he felt the erection under him and saw the pleading look that the informant gave him; his legs twitching. He wanted to bottom?

"SH-IZU…o…"

Shizuo opened the man's legs and looked up at him, finding a small genuine smile on the man's face as he shut his eyes and relaxed. It was so warm… so tempting…

He rubbed himself against the man's lower regions and felt the heat hitting him. Desire ripped through him, he went in and felt that tight heat envelope him. It was warm, welcoming… It was paradise. Looking up, Shizuo frowned a bit as he felt himself opening his eyes…

Hmm?

Bleary eyed, the blonde found himself looking up at a very stiff informant. The man biting his lip, holding onto the bedsheets as he tried to withstand the pain; why was he-

Shizuo looked down to freeze.

Two fully erect members meet his gaze… well, one and a hilt. He was inside the flea.

"Iza…" Shizuo didn't know what to do. He had never actually- Well, he had never had anything like this happen.

"Move. It hurts."

"Gomenasai, I'll get out-"

"NO!" Crimson eyes shot open and the man latched onto him, ending up on top as he made Shizuo lose balance. They both paused.

"Izaya-kun."

Slowly, tentatively, the informant started to ride him. In all the way before almost completely out, tantalizingly, the small form above him moved. Lust raced through him in waves, pulling him under, making him drunk with pleasure.

His hands found those hips again and he started to buck in time to the motion set up, speeding him up. Something began to build. Each movement cementing the feeling, each glance at the other a block of memory; higher and higher their feelings ascended. The background went dark, the only things that Shizuo could see was that pale skin on top of him, that dark hair, those gleaming red eyes pulling him up into the sweeping chaos of emotions.

Lips found his out of nowhere. Mere blockades to where he wanted to be, they parted to give him a real taste of intoxication. Shizuo moved his hands up to pull the man closer, he rolled them over, taking charge of the whole mess. He rammed himself in, he devoured the taste of this fine miniscule space.

Izaya's tongue fought for dominance as he tried to reclaim his place on top, a moan made itself known against Shizuo's lips. It sent him escalating into an unparalleled high.

He couldn't have stopped if he had wanted to.

The very apex of all emotion was coming, making him lose sight of literally everything expect those hooded red eyes. He sped up his movements, causing Izaya to writhe against the sheets.

He felt the arching.

He felt the uncontrolled hands digging into his back.

He felt the teeth that bit into his neck, unable to find the means to release the slow, mind-blowing pressure that was increasing.

He could feel it too.

Shizuo reached up and roughly pulled the informant's head away from his neck. He smashed right into home as he delved into the man's mouth again. The taste of divinity meeting his lips.

The surroundings were getting too hot. It was boiling in the room. The taste of sweat met his lips as Shizuo kissed down from those lips to his neck. He went lower and lower until he found a spot that causing a reaction like few others.

The spot pried his name from the informant's lips. It stole what speech seemed otherwise near impossible from the man. It threw the sound into the air at such a level that people around the world would have to be deaf to miss.

"SHIZUO~!"

His _real_ name.

Shizuo felt pressure leaking out. He felt the very edge upon him as he bit and sucked on the man's nipples. Something warm and wet started to hit him, sending him casting off into oblivion. The pressure overflowed from his person, into the brunette's small body. It sent waves wracking through them both. They shook in pleasure as their worlds came crumbling down around them.

The world went black.

The release of all that emotion went flooding one another.

Everything stopped.

No words came out.

Eyes shut from the pressure.

Bodies hit one another as the debt collector collapsed on the informant.

…

Silence, heavenly silence met their ears.

The sound of racing pulses beat a melody of lust in their ears. The sound of shifting sheets provided a short solo to their physical peace. Breathing became a long melody to their love-making.

Then slowly, crimson met mocha.

Mocha met crimson.

Nothing was spoken.

No awkward silence stabbed itself into the heart of this side of the abyss.

Their gazes perceived the other and held one another in mindless perception.

A hand moved up. It braved the dips and mountains of sheets. It braved the darkness and light of the morning sun, refracting off the buildings outside and gracing the room in sunlight. It reached out, silently, avidly.

Another hand slid down, it uncurled from its clenched state. It crossed shadowed creases and cum covered patches of sheets. It didn't perceive the sticky mess, the lack of luminance, or the distance.

The two hands laced together and Shizuo pulled Izaya into his arms. Exhausted from everything that had just flown through them; both foes shut their eyes to the world and drifted off to a dreamless sleep. In no way desiring to understand what had just transpired.

~.~

_**A/N: Hmm… I suck at smut. –sulking-**_


	16. Chapter 16

Some say the morning after is the hardest thing of all for a denying pair of lovers. _Not true, _Izaya thought as he sipped his tea on the couch. Typing on his computers once again, he mused the changed natures of their behavior as Shizuo spoke on the phone calmly to his brother.

Huh, so Kasuka was going to be in town once again.

"No, I'll come visit you." Shizuo continued to push gently into getting his way as the two went on.

"I don't mind if he comes, Shizu-chan." Izaya winked over to the debt collector and Shizuo gave him a murderous glare before returning his attention to the phone.

"Wha- No, no one's here. I have the TV on."

"No, you don't. HI KASUKA-KUN!" Izaya felt heat waves roll off the debt collector and smirked good-naturedly.

Ah, so much fun. He should have done this a long time ago.

~.Shizuo.~

"Brother, you have Izaya there…"

"I can explain! I just had to watch him since Shinra was away and the flea got himself into a bunch of crap. Shinra would be upset if I let the louse die."

"…"

"Uh, Kasuka?"

"I'm on my way up to visit."

"I'll come to you! There's no need to trouble yourself with anything like that!"

"Ah, hey Kasuka-kun," Izaya's voice came over the house phone and Shizuo spun around to find the informant on his spare phone.

"…Izaya-san."

"How are you?"

"…"

"Heh, figured you would say something like that. Anyway, how close are you?"

"…a couple blocks away."

"What?" Shizuo nearly shouted in surprise as the informant laughed.

"Very close then. You wouldn't mind if I had my little siblings come over would you? They're pissing me off and won't let up about my absence until I find something to distract them with. Little monsters."

"…"

"Alright awesome-"

"I want to talk to you alone."

Shizuo jumped at the opening, "right, sorry Kasuka. Izaya! GET OFF THE-"

"Brother, I want to talk to Izaya-san…"

"Ah, what?"

Laughing came from the other end before Izaya finally spoke, "ouch! So mean, Yuuhei-san!"

"Brother. Please?"

"Fine." Shizuo hung up and went out of the room, eyeing Izaya with a venomous intent. He was going to get back at him for this. That was a promise. No vending machine would be spared in his revenge.

"He's gone." Izaya's voice floated through the doorway of the kitchen. He really probably shouldn't, but Shizuo eased to the doorway's edge and listened. Pathetic, yes, but this was his brother that the guy was talking to.

"…Hmm? Oh yes. Yes."

…

"And here I thought we would be besties!"

…

"Ahahaha~ No!"

…What were they talking about?

"Most likely."

…

"Oh dear! I've silenced you with my witty nature!"

…

"I would love to continue this delightful chat, but I have an urgent call from someone that I must answer. You want to talk to Shizzy-chan? Ah, alright. See you soon then…"

Silence settled in before coughing came. Crashing occurred and Shizuo ran in to find the informant on the ground, leaning against the coffee table. His laptop several feet away, keys broken as it had hit another table. Without pause, Shizuo walked over and lifted the flea up, holding him close and patting the coughing fit to an end.

"That's… the second… time… Damn pills…"

"You can talk more."

Izaya shook his head, pulling away and going to survey the damage of his fit.

~.Izaya.~

""He's gone." Watching the slight shadow in the kitchen, Izaya smirked. Bullcrap at its finest, Shizuo was right nearby. Kasuka must have figured.

"You are at my brother's house."

"…Hmm? Oh yes. Yes." Pulling his gaze away from the hiding figure, Izaya returned his attention to the young celebrity.

"…Just be nice to him, he's much kinder than you."

"And here I thought we would be besties!" Izaya lowered his voice, "so mean…"

"…You slept with him."

"Ahahaha~ No!"

"Liar."

"Most likely."

"…"

"Oh dear! I've silenced you with my witty nature!"

"…Did he enjoy it?"

Izaya stared at the phone and felt his face heat up. Did he… he was the one that initialized the whole event. Thank goodness his throat started to hurt. It gave him an excuse to pull away from the phone. "I would love to continue this delightful chat, but I have an urgent call from someone that I must answer. You want to talk to Shizzy-chan?"

"No, Shizuo seems happy enough."

"Ah, alright. See you soon then…"

Hanging up, the rolling motions of his insides seemed to twist, sending him into a coughing fit. He tried to set aside his computer, but the thing went flying from his hands, bashing against the end table and busting.

_Shit!_

He doubled over for the second day in a row. The pain wracking up, sending him down further; he couldn't breathe. He couldn't feel anything, but the pain. The torture. It hurt with every fiber of his being. It felt like he was on the verge of death again.

Then those arms returned. Before he could comprehend what was happening, he was in the arms of the ex-bartender. Shizuo beat his back, pounding away the pain with his medieval methods. Old fashioned, but effective; Izaya found himself back to normal within minutes, feeling this disgusting gratitude to the blonde for his aid.

_Be nice to my brother, he's kinder than you._ It annoyed him to no end. This spiraling series of events, there was nothing much that kept him here except for the fact that he needed to have the temporary protection of the brute. That was it. As soon as this was over, they would resume their cat and mouse natures.

It was a temporary truce. The eye of the hurricane; it would end soon. But this coughing issue…

"That's… the second… time…Damn pills…" Shinra said they were harmless.

"At least you can talk more."

Izaya shook his head, _Shizuo thankful for his mouth? Weird. _Izaya pulled away and went to look at his computer. Picking it up, he sighed at the fried circuit board. They would be stupid enough to leave a bottle of beer right on the floor by the table. What a brilliant idea. Let's murder some technology.

Focusing, it looked like the little junk drive he had been saving everything on was spared from the malicious fate. It remained sticking in its usual spot in the usb port in mint condition.

He pulled it out and dumped the computer in the trash. There was no use for a dead computer or its broken keys. He plugged the drive into his other open laptop and went back to typing. He had already wasted too much time.

**Namie: You want me to purchase you another apartment?**

** Kanra: Yes! I need one.**

** Namie: What's wrong with the one in Shinjuku?**

** Kanra: I broke it. Please buy me a new playhouse, mommy. 3 I'll be really good! I'll even find Mr. "Dead head lover" for you! **

** Namie: …I hate you.**

** Kanra: 3 **

** Namie: Stop. **

** Namie: I'll get another place, but I want a raise.**

** Kanra: Mhmm, you have a great sense of humor. Don't forget to have my stuff moved to a storage facility. One of yours would be wonderful.**

** Namie: Fine.**

** Kanra: And get me a body pillow. **

** Namie: What?**

** Kanra: So mean! **

** Kanra: I could fire you, you know. **

** Namie: Any other requests?**

** Kanra: Yes, don't mention these things to anyone. **

** Kanra: I mean it. **

** Kanra: NO ONE!**

** Namie: Charming. **

** Kanra: 3**

** Namie has signed out**

Signing out himself, Izaya finished his tea and watched as Shizuo opened the door to let his little brother into the apartment. The duo stood talking in the doorway as Izaya went to get dressed into his usual attire.

~.Shizuo.~

"Bye, Kasuka. Again, I'm sorry about today."

Kasuka shook his head and waved before leaving. He disappeared at the stairs and Izaya sat in front of his computer. The informant's face grew darker as he typed; the expression increasing as much as his speed typing.

"Izaya-kun~" the name came out as a low growl as the debt collector stalked forward. One step after another, he came closer and closer until the informant spun around and jumped him. The sudden movement caused them both to fall over, without words the man slit his shirt open and things turned dark.

Shizuo saw the blade and took immediate action. He crushed the blade with his grip and tossed the pieces aside. The informant's mouth latched to his bleeding hand as he sucked on it. Those eyes watching him amused.

"The hell, Iza-"

His lips were caught again by the informant as he pulled him close. The man didn't pause for a heartbeat before they were rolling across the floor. Shizuo gripped his wrists and pulled them harshly above his head.

"Izaya… Damn louse, what the hell did you think you were doing?"

Calm, understanding crimson eyes met his gaze as Shizuo glared down at him. It messed with him so badly. That same look, the exact one from… Shizuo waited a moment before pulling the louse's hands together. He kept his firm grip on the man's wrists and reached down his person, releasing himself from the confines of his pants.

"No answer? Well then, I'll just assume that you wanted to fuck, after all, that is why you came here isn't it."

The words were out in the open before he could stop them. Izaya glared at him and started to struggle to get away. Using his knees to spread the informant's legs, Shizuo thrust himself into the tight space and felt the floodgates open.

Those same spiraling emotions and feelings ran through them both. The same build up, the same uncontrollable needs, the hunger; it all consumed them without leaving them time to try to process what had been said.

There was no reprieve from the flames that lapped at them from the insides out.

~.~

A/N: I'm so happy! We had a tall blonde guy come and order an extra large cup of milk and a bunch of sweets from our chocolate company today and the guy had his boyfriend who was so much like Izaya that I nearly died of happiness. As it were, I think I LOVE MY DAMN JOB!

…_**Oh right, this is an author's note. Um… Review? That sounds about right. I update in response to those reviews (plus I read them all and basically love them).**_


	17. Chapter 17

"Namie!" Izaya balanced himself against the wall as the woman entered and pulled a cart after her.

"This had better be important."

"I need you to load this bag onto the cart, be careful, it's quite big."

"What's in it?" His secretary eyed the bag suspiciously as a low whirring sound came from inside.

"Don't worry about it. Just load it into the car. I'll grab my things."

Namie lifted the bag onto the cart and grunted very unladylike as she was forced to use some effort. "What the hell is in this?"

"Not important for you to know, Namie-chan~"

The woman glared at him as he returned with several bags. "Why do you have so much stuff?"

He smirked happily as he skipped past her. "Just stack my shit on top of my precious cargo."

"…Let me call my men to help."

"Hurry hurry~"

Namie glared at him as she dialed on her phone. "Your voice sounds weird."

The informant opened his mouth and pressed the third button, playing the recording of his laugh again before skipping into the hallway. His limbs still hurt from the excursion with Shizuo. It felt like he was falling apart at the seams.

But damn it, they had to hurry up.

He was the one in charge, but it still seemed like he was playing pawn in the game.

Stupid informant ruining his fun…

They moved the bags into the car within twenty minutes and were down the street when the building exploded, pieces of smoking metal and rubble crumbling to the ground as people screamed. Traffic sped up with no care for speed limits, only wanting to escape the turmoil. Namie and her men looked back in shock, the woman looking at him with wide eyes.

Izaya shook his head and pressed the fifth button on the recorder.

"Did you know Namie, people doing my job is quite boring. They have no finesse."


	18. Chapter 18

"_Reports have been coming in for the last few hours over the exploding of a Tokyo apartment complex. Fire crews and police have pushed back citizens and are investigating for signs of possible gang activities or terrorist threats. So far, the results are sketchy and police are investigating possible leads. Twenty three people were killed in the initial blast with several injured or missing. If anyone has any information, authorities are urging for people to come forward."_

Everything felt so far away. Surrounded in nothingness, floating in limbo; Shizuo felt himself slowly returning to reality. Rustling sounds hardly audible reached his hearing. Warmth held him close as the debt collector heard what sounded like a news report.

_Izaya…_

Images, memories of what had occurred before he had blacked out came crawling back.

_"Why the hell are you doing this?"_

_ The informant broker continued to tie him up without a word, only a mere smile gracing his lips. The blonde couldn't feel anything. It felt like his whole person had shut down on him, leaving him to only see and feel, but not move. He was paralyzed. _

_ "ANSWER ME!"_

Shizuo opened his eyes and found himself staring up at a ceiling. The black nothingness above briefly relented to the light that flew through it. Someone had come into the room. A warmth on his chest pulled away until it returned, glancing down, Shizuo stared at a small recorder.

"Namie-san~" The flea's voice purred out of the speaker and high heeled clicks stopped near the couch.

"I finished the paperwork, so I'm going home."

"Fine." The ring clad finger moved silently to yet another button and clicked it. "Goodbye."

"…Your guest is waking up, if you haven't noticed-"

"Goodbye."

"…" The woman, Namie's, footsteps started up again. The sound of her shoes fading until the light overhead returned and she was gone. The device on his chest wasn't moved though. Instead, another button was pressed.

"My voice is gone."

Shizuo stared at the hand that had pressed the next button. So that's why he was using that thing, but that made no sense. He would have had to make prerecorded phrases and to do that he would have had to know that he would be losing…

_"Next time don't get into a heated debate with Kasuka." Shizuo couldn't help but smirk as the informant rubbed his throat and pouted._

_ "My voice is getting raspy again…I think I'm going to call Shinra."_

_ "It'll be fine. You just need to shut the hell up." The blonde kicked back on the couch and looked over at the bathroom door. "When he comes out be nice."_

_ "…I'll just leave the two of you to have great quality time. I'm going to work on my computer."_

_ "Fine."_

_ The raven-haired man took his beloved jacket off and went to put it in the closet when he frowned, "Shizu-chan~ What's this?"_

_ "Hmm?" Shizuo looked over and rolled his eyes, "that's one of those old recording boxes. It's a piece of crap, but I can't bring myself to toss it."_

_ "Why… did you get it?"_

_ "It was for a prank with Kadota back in high school."_

_ "…" The informant looked at it and shrugged, looking nonchalant. "Does it still work?"_

_ "No idea."_

_ Kasuka returned to the room a moment later as Izaya excused himself to another part of the house._

Shizuo saw a pair of crimson eyes float into his peripheral view and watch him, waiting. _We know now. That thing still works._

"Shi…zu…chan…" The voice was hardly audible over the sounds of the city far away and the sounds of their breathing. It was hoarse; sounding like it was being forced from the most unreasonable parts of him.

Pulling himself up, Shizuo sighed. "Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

The informant shook in silent amusement before getting up and heading over to the window overlooking the city. His stance was slouched and a streak of red marred the pale skin of his chest. Unconsciously, Shizuo felt his back with a hand to look for a wound, but he stopped as he saw the blood continued to trickle down the informant's back and front.

"Flea, what the hell happened."

"…"

God dammit, Shizuo thought as he looked around and grabbed the laptop sitting on the coffee table. He walked over and offered the keyboard to the man, "type a fucking response."

[I thought you wanted me to shut up Shizu-chan.]

"Your silence unnerves me."

[How disappointing.]

"Why am I here?"

[Well, technically I owed you a new apartment after your old one was destroyed.]

"What the hell happened to my apartment?"

The louse grinned as he typed. [Just business. Nothing important.]

Annoyed, Shizuo dumped the computer on the table nearby and picked the damn idiot up, carrying him through the apartment and holding back the urges to toss him out of the windows they passed. He dropped the flea on the bathroom counter and shoved a towel against the wound that continued to overflow.

"Augh..." sounds of raspy pain escaped the flea as Shizuo blotted at the wound. He frowned as he pulled out a silver piece of metal.

"…Flea, what did you do while I was out?"

A blade to a switchblade reflected back at him, coated in the coppery fluid of Izaya's insides. The end of it was broken, jagged and uneven as though someone had broken it against something hard. Shizuo tossed it in the sink and returned for a moment to blotting up the wound when he nicked himself.

Another piece of metal, small and sharp, met his gaze.

It happened again.

And again.

And again.

The pieces were tiny, but led deeper into the wound. Shizuo had to pull away to grab some tweezers to start pulling them out with. Resuming his work, he took a minute to set the pieces on the counter and start to fit them with one another. Like pieces of a puzzle, they began to form a nicely sized blade. A small circular piece called the end of the blade, leaving the debt collector to wonder where the handle of the whole thing was.

Izaya's once pain covered face had gone serene. He slept peacefully on the counter as the other had worked. Trying to straighten him out so he could sleep somewhat more comfortably, Shizuo noticed something dark near his neck. He pulled the Flea's head forward and felt his anger snap.

The handle of the blade had been embedded sideways against Izaya's neck. The wound unknowingly had started to try and scab over the mess. A small bandage near one end showed callous negligence.

Shizuo tried to pull the handle out by using the tweezers, but the handle refused to budge. It remained immobile while he pulled the bloody metal back out and tossed the pair of useless tweezers aside.

He shoved a finger just above the hilt and pushed it out, wincing at the squelching sound that occurred as he pulled. The wound bled out against the pale skin around it. It had to be painful, running around with something like that in you.

He fit the final piece around the metal circle that held the blade and stared at the switchblade. He didn't get it. Who the hell had done this? Why hadn't the informant's secretary at least looked at these wounds?

Or Shinra?

"Hello~! IzaIza! I brought those bandages you wanted me to bring!"

Hmm? Shizuo looked over at the door and frowned as he heard someone calling somewhat loudly for Izaya.

Wait, did he have a girlfriend?

Wait! Was that Karisawa?

"IzaIza~" Before Shizuo could move, the bathroom door opened and Erika's head popped into view.

Shizuo: holding Izaya against his chest, hands covered in blood.

Izaya: dozing peacefully against him, bleeding onto new bandages and face slightly covered in some soap from the bathroom counter, the white stuff near his mouth.

Erika's face lit up like fireworks and she smiled the brightest, most insane smile that Shizuo had ever seen. "ShizuShizu! You're here! I was just dropping off some bandages and gauze for IzaIza! I can bring them in here if you want…"

"Fine." He remained immobile, unaware of what might be running through the girl's head. _She probably thinks I murdered him._

The woman disappeared before a minute later coming in again and setting the bags of first aid on the floor. "Alright. This should do for now, but ShizuShizu," she looked over at him as she headed to the door and winked, "next time you want to top, you should maybe not carve him up so bad. Oh! And record it! I have a camera you can borrow if you want." She giggled and rushed out, leaving Shizuo to stare after her in blank shock.

_Top?_

_ Record?_

_ …She thinks I had sex with him?_


	19. Chapter 19

_"Again we find ourselves here, dear Izaya. Tell me, is it so hard for you to believe?" The doppelganger looked at the young man on the ground with a faint trace of amusement on his face. His red trimmed coat slipped on his shoulders and Shizu-chan pulled it up for him. "Thank you Tsuki."_

_ "DON'T FUCK WITH ME!" Izaya tried to stand and felt weighed down. He looked at his ankles and felt all his hair stand on end as he glimpsed the concrete chained to him around his ankles._

_ "I have no intention of 'fucking' you, Izaya-san." The twin moved forward and crouched in front of him, "I have no interest in humans, nor you for that matter. I would rather spend my time with my beloved Tsuki, but Psyche is insistent that we save you. Something about Valhalla being less fun without you."_

_ "…I don't understand."_

_ "I know that you don't." His mirror image grinned and raised a hand to stroke his cheek. "You don't allow analysis of yourself. It was only through turmoil that you even considered such a thing, and yet still, you insist on denial."_

_ Shizuo, "Tsuki" as he was called by this apparition of Izaya, pulled out a watch from his pocket and looked up worriedly at the raven-haired duo. "We haven't much time, Roppi."_

_ "I'm aware of that, Tsuki. Wait outside the door please, I have to talk to myself for a moment."_

_ Tsuki nodded and left the barren room, the white walls streaming down in sudden grey color. Objects flickered into existence. The floor turned cold and dark. The unending white above grew darker and darker, growing into a color darker than black. _

_ The doppelganger laughed a bit as he stood up and watched the wary Izaya sitting on the floor. "Did you expect everything to just return to normal? You left your wounds in to keep us away, but you forgot that others around who won't let you die. Even after all the shit that you throw them into. Even after all the pain and sorrow. What a pathetic creature you are. Are you afraid of the dark, my dear Izaya-san?"_

_ Roppi's face and body grew dimmer as the background changed. A figure moved forward as Roppi watched Izaya. The man pulled up a metal device and grinned, "let's begin shall we, Orihara-san? You can tell me everything. By the end of this session, we should be best friends." _

_ Izaya tried to move and felt the chains dig into his skin, "get away from me…"_

_ "This," the man lifted the object for emphasis, "will let me hear your voice." He nodded to his other objects on the table, "when I use my scalpel, you will tell me your friend's secrets." _

_ The metal object dug its way into Izaya's chest as the man grew closer, his face covered in a surgical mask and wearing glasses. His breathing was deep, the only other thing that Izaya could hear besides his blood-curdling screams._

_ "When I finally start to sever your veins, Orihara-san, then I will know that you are not lying to me."_

_ Izaya thrashed violently against his binds and tried to shove the man away, he attempted to bite the man and felt the man grip his neck. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't see with the dim overhead lights that illuminated the table in the distance. _

_ Roppi moved under the light and sat down quietly next to him, looking at the man that was trying to slice him apart. "Humans are such dark creatures. What they are capable of, their dark hearts, their ambitions, and their denial of everything." His stoic gaze reached Izaya's seething eyes, glaring in absolute hate. "Do you know what is wrong with you?"_

_ "Fuck you…"_

_ "You never allow yourself to feel. It must all be analysis. It has to be data. If the data is inconvenient, you disassemble all the components until others suffer and you're free. Now though…" The doppelganger laughed, "Now you are stuck with no one. Everyone has abandoned you, dear Izaya-nii. No sisters to blame for the broken windows or walls. No Shizuo to blame for murders. No friends to blame for your being alone. It's only you."_

_ "I don't need anyone…"_

_ "That's nice, Orihara-san," the figure plunged the blade through his chest again and Izaya saw blood spill out of him with the departure of the blade._

_ "AUGH!" Izaya screamed again as the pain attacked him like a wave from the ocean._

_ Roppi sighed, "What will it take? How far will you go before you find yourself on the ledge that so many before you have leapt from?"_

_ "Get the hell away from me…"_

_ "I want inside, Orihara-san." The blade made another dive through the layers of his skin and sent the pools of blood overflowing from him. Sound deafened as Izaya watched the room spin._

_ "You are going to die, Izaya-san. Alone and cold in your own misery. There will be no Valhalla. No sanctuary when you fall. You will only feel the indifference of death's arms." The doppelganger moved forward and smiled, "you know what will happen when you die, Izaya-san?" Izaya tried to shut his eyes and found himself stuck staring at those blood red eyes as the twin smiled darker yet, "Nothing. No one will notice. No one will care. It will be as it was before. You will be dead and life will go on. It will be as it should be."_

"AUGH!" Another scream ripped itself free of him as Izaya awakened to darkness. Something held him down, keeping a hold of his throat and limbs. He fought against the hold and shut his eyes. "Let me go," he screeched as the weight continued to stay.

"Shhhh…"

"LET ME GO!"

"IZAYA!" The bedside lamp clicked on and Izaya found himself staring up at a sleepy Shizuo. The debt collector was covered in sweat and staring down at him in alarm. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"LET ME GO! YOU'RE WITH THEM!"

"With who?"

"LET ME GO!"

"NOT UNTIL YOU TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!"

Izaya thrashed in the sheets, unwilling to think about anything besides escaping the arms holding him down. He was going to be killed! He had to run. He had to escape.

"Izaya!"

"LET ME GO!"

"IZAYA! I WON'T HURT YOU!"

"LET ME GO!"

"NO! YOU'RE GOING TO TRY TO RUN AND GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

"NO!"

"IZA-" The blonde broke off as he looked down, turning a bit pale, "you're bleeding out again…"

"LET ME GO!"

"SHUT UP!"

"LET ME GO-OPGH" Izaya thrashed and bit as Shizuo bend over and kissed him. His arms retreated from holding onto his arms and wrapped around his waist. The debt collector withstood the digging of Izaya's nails into his back as he hugged the informant close.

"Shhh. I won't hurt you. Not right now. Nothing is happening here. We're safe."

"No where is safe… not for me." The informant looked up at him and panted as he slowly felt the adrenaline drain from his night terror. He mentally cursed at how raspy his voice was.

"Didn't I tell you to shut up?" Shizuo pulled him closer and rolled onto his side, rubbing the smaller man's arm as he held him close. "I said we're safe so that means we're safe."

"No, we're not."

"I don't give a shit what you think, but nothing could take you from me right now."

"You hate me."

"Yes, I do."

Izaya shook his head, "then stop acting protective. It makes no sense."

"Shut up flea." Shizuo grinned at him and yawned, "I have a mild distaste for you-"

"You hate the hell out of me."

"I hate your mouth."

"You are going to kill me."

"Not tonight."

"I don't need your pity."

"I wasn't giving it."

"I hate you." The words were flung out in unleashed fury and Shizuo stared at him a moment before smiling a faint smile of some sort.

"I don't care. Go back to sleep, louse." The man pulled away and went to the doorway of the room.

"Wait!"

Shizuo lingered in the doorway and glanced back only to shake his head, "good night, Izaya-kun." The door shut as the debt collector left the room and Izaya looked around the room a moment before curling up with his pillow.

"…I don't want to be alone with him… not ever again…"

_No one will notice. Life will go on and you will be dead._

Izaya fingered the wound from the previous night.

_"I figured you would try to run and hide with your secretary, Izaya-san." Yadogiri stepped forward and Izaya flicked his blade out, preparing to fight. "There will be no need for that."_

_ "…"_

_ "Nothing to say? Such a shame." The shadows shifted as they reached out and grabbed the raven-haired man. Izaya thrashed against their hold and found his blade stolen. "Another knife. It's very cliché. Most people prefer guns, although, I suppose this is much quieter." The other informant moved forward and handed it to his associate, "let's test that theory shall we? I know you enjoy testing theories."_

Izaya pulled himself up and set his feet on the ground, heading off to the bathroom to try and wake himself up a bit.

_"…" 'FUCK YOU!' The words were right there, but Izaya couldn't find the means to voice them. The lackey's monstrous hands broke the blade as they carved it into the back of his neck. They were trying to prolong what would be a painful death. They were attempting to make sure it cut off his air supply as they killed him. He felt the dull end of the blade touch his spine and he twitched in agony._

_ "It looks like we're getting somewhere… Deeper, gentlemen."_

_ The blade continued to move and Izaya felt the wetness dribble down his back. Colors flashed before his face. He didn't dare glance over at the bags Namie and her group had brought in. Shizuo was alright that way. They wouldn't catch him._

_ "IZAYAAAA!" A low roar made the whole group jump in shock and Izaya whipped his head up in shock. There was no way the brute woke up to find himself stuffed in a bag. He still had three hours, Shinra's stuff always worked too long. _

_ Recovering fast, Izaya shot a leg back and used the torturer's pelvic area as a leap point to which to jump off and create distance. He ignored the lost blade in lieu of grabbing the apartment fire alarm and pulling it down. Sirens erupted and the group swelled up in front of him._

_ Yadogiri smiled more, "You know this only means that the death will be faster now."_

_ The informant grinned at his antagonist and thanked the gods that Namie and her group were too lazy to get his belongings off a cart. With a final leap, he shoved the cart with its possibly unconscious debt collector into the hallway, himself on top and waved as he kicked the door shut. The hallway was still dark, the blinking strobe light flashed as a crowd of people rushed towards the exit. Izaya hurried with the group and made a sharp turn outside, running around the building and hitting someone._

_ SHIT!_

_ "Ow! Damn it, watch where you're pushing- IzaIza?" The person immediately did a one eighty and laughed a bit, "What are you doing in Ikebukuro?"_

_ "No time. I need to get away from here-"_

_ "Izaya…kun…" A low growl escaped from his luggage and Izaya cursed the fact that he hadn't gagged the blonde._

_ Erica's eyes sparkled, "…You can stay at my old apartment! I just moved and I still have the place for another month, but I'm not using it."_

_ "Perfect." _

_ "You're voice sounds raspy…Nevermind. Don't worry about it."_

At least he was safe for a while. As he suspected, no one would think of looking for him and Shizuo at Erica's house.

~.~

_**A/N: Maybe I should have mentioned the late flashback here earlier… Nah, I like it this way. Confusion is okay if it's explained quickly enough. **_

_**Anyway, I love the doppelganger/alternative personas of Shizuo and Izaya. You never see them enough. I figured it would be interesting to throw them into Izaya's dreams a bit. He seems like the type to have 'controlling' narrators in his dreams. Just a thought. XD**_

_**Anyway, WOOT! ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS! You guys are awesome! Keep it up! I'm feeling pretty loved right now. I like how many people viewed this story too. Thanks for peeking in to check out the chaos which is my story. I approve!**_


	20. Chapter 20

"_Are you alright, Shizuo?"_

"Yeah, I'm fine Tom." Shizuo sat in front of a computer and sighed as he looked over at the bedroom. "I'm just in the middle of some family issues at the moment and I'm trying to figure all this out."

_"You sound tired."_

"I am."

_"Alright, well, I was thinking you could use a couple of weeks off from work. Why don't you relax and get everything sorted out?"_

"Are you sure?"

"_Yeah, I was worried when I saw that your apartment was destroyed, but I'm glad to hear that you're safe. Take some time off and relax."_

"Alright, I guess…" The bedroom door cracked open as a small brunette peaked through; he rubbed his eyes as he moved to the counter of the bar/kitchen area and pulled open a bottle of pills. He took some as Shizuo watched him.

"_Shizuo?"_ Tom's voice floated through the phone and Shizuo snapped back to attention.

"Yeah, I have to get going. I'll see you the week after next."

_"Okay, good bye."_

Shizuo hung up and pulled himself to his feet. He walked over to the bar and wrapped his arms around the informant and pulled him close. He ignored the tense stance and shut his eyes.

"I'm losing my voice again…"

"I figured it was already lost again. You were screaming all night."

The informant leaned back against him and shut his eyes tiredly, "I really hate you, Shizu-chan."

"I know."

"…I have work to do." Slowly, the informant slid out of his arms and pulled the laptop from the table into his arms. The informant moved slowly to the bedroom from which he'd come and left the room, the door announcing with a quiet click that the louse had left the room.

Shizuo stared after him for a long time, feeling the absence of Izaya's body heat from his arms. He pulled out his cigarettes and lit one, reveling in the taste as he sat down in a stool and watched the sun rise to illuminate the room further.

There was no doubt that there was a lot of water underneath the bridge that separated them. The connection between them was riddled with lies and deceit that left what would be a strong support in rotted ruin. Such discordance between them both, it was impossible to unravel their lies and have anywhere close to a normal relationship.

_Besides, _Shizuo thought as he found himself lighting yet another cigarette as time flew past, _I hate you too, Izaya. _

~.~

"Hello again, Shiki-san. I would say that I missed you, but that would be a lie," the stranger sat down and Shiki smiled darkly.

"You thought that I would never guess who you were, didn't you Yadogiri Jinnai?"

"You got me, Shiki-san." Yadogiri grinned as he sat down in the gallery. "I have a proposition."

"I have no intention to hear it."

"Oh really? Have you forgotten that there's an informant running rampant with all of your information."

"No, but I know that he is dead."

"How would you know-" a piece of something flopped onto the table as Yadogiri spoke.

"We got this souvenir this morning from the site of the explosion."

Jinnai looked at the flab of meat and frowned, "what is this supposed to be?"

"Take a good look."

The informant lifted the thing and stared at the silver ring around the finger. "Izaya's… finger?"

"Yes, he's dead."

"He can't be."

Shiki leaned back and smiled, satisfied with the turn of events. "but it can be and it is. Orihara Izaya is dead. I have no fear of him any further. He is merely another victim of an apartment bombing. No one knows how or why, but he and Heiwajima are both dead."

"They can't be. The informant's secretary-"

"Is probably informed that in case of things like this, she is to act a certain way, perhaps even take over Orihara's information channels."

"So she would have our information."

"No," Shiki turned in his chair and looked out the window with his hands laced together, "something as valuable as this would not be trusted with anyone except himself. Orihara has a record of hiding things from everyone."

"Everyone trusts one other person in their life."

_"Everyone trusts someone, even if it is only one other person, Orihara-san."_

_The brunette laughed and turned to look at him. "You mean like you with Akabayashi?" _

_Shiki felt his face color as the informant spun around in his computer chair._

_"I have no need for such ties. I am a god, in charge of everything and everyone around me. I don't need the needs of the flesh nor the emotional support that so many others spend their lives dependent upon. I only need to have my computer and all of my many humans to love."_

"Orihara trusted no one," Shiki stated. "He was as impersonal as one got. He sent many psychologists of my employ screaming into asylums, suffering from suicidal thoughts and insanity. There was no rationality to Izaya's realm of thinking. He was as insane as a person got while still being seen as somehow sane."

Yadogiri slid forward in his seat and gestured in front of himself, "that's just it though. Someone must be trusted. We need to clean the residue he left behind."

"You mean kill the ones around him? Orihara has a vast network of connections. If I even started to attack them, the police would be after me and my men in a heartbeat."

"Then work on it slowly, blame other gangs, just-"

"I have no need for you, Yadogiri-san. I will not be treated like an equal by someone who is inferior. You are merely a temporary hire, one whose work here is complete."

"So this is it? You plan to drop everything just because your informant is assumed dead. A finger and you're celebrating his death. Tell me, Shiki, are you truly that stupid?"

"Gentlemen." Shiki's voice boomed over the question of the informant and a group of employ walked in to stand in front of the desk, blocking Yadogiri from his former employer. "Good evening, Yadogiri-san."

"Goodbye then. I wish you well in your investments." The informant stood up and walked out of the room.

"Follow him to the door and watch him disappear. I want to know where his every move is from this point onward."

The men nodded and left the gallery owner in front of the setting sunlit window. The man stood up and turned to look at the empty gallery in front of him.

_"An average man would wonder why there are no paintings in your gallery."_

_Shiki sighed, "As I have told many before you, I simply have not found art worthy of being displayed here."_

_Izaya ran his hand along the alabaster walls and smiled, "perhaps… or perhaps you have. It's just the canvas that you have is much too complex for any artist to dream of capturing into any art medium."_

_"Poetic. What do you want, kid?"_

_"Nothing. Everything." The raven-haired kid looked over at him and narrowed his gaze, still smiling that knowing smile, "I want to work for you."_

_"I need no further employ."_

_"I am an informant broker. Nothing more. I like to hear the latest gossip. It fascinates me. All my humans thinking that they are far beyond their years in wisdom, but you, Shiki-san, you are something quite unusual. I wouldn't say unique, just rather interesting."_

_"I have no need for a spoiled brat."_

_The kid laughed before sitting down in Shiki's usual seat. "I am aware. It's a good thing I'm not a brat. Tell me. Does your male lover know that you are thinking of divorce from your wife?"_

_"…" Shiki felt his jaw tick at the spoken piece of information. _

_"Bravo, you live up to your name, Shiki-san. I didn't doubt that you would. I won't tell. We all have our secrets. You with your lover, me with my scar."_

_"Delightful."_

Shiki picked the finger on the table up and pulled the silver circle from the pale skin it enclosed. Bruising where the ring had been marred the skin.

_"A scar underneath my left hand's ring, I find it rather symbolic. All the secrets that jewelry and riches hide, hidden from the public under the very thing that the public sees. It reminds me of how you and your collective others work. Your gallery may be empty, but it is full of something that the public is more than familiar with."_

Shiki pulled the picture of the duo out from his pocket and looked at the two sleepy figures lying on a couch, paying no attention as the photographer snapped a quick picture. The blonde's head rested above the brunette's while the man's arms held him close, unconsciously protecting him from the harsh world around them.

"Hide well, Orihara… We're even now." Even as he said the words, a tinge of anger sent the photo fluttering onto the floor, soon to be followed and consumed by a freshly-lit match. The flames licked at the informant and debt collector's images, disappearing from the room in a matter of seconds.

~.~

_**A/N: I promise it makes better sense later. I'm working at it. We have to build, people. BUILD! **_


	21. Chapter 21

_"Izaya-chan!" The doppelganger smiled brightly as he sat in the car with Izaya and the other yakusa men. He practically bounced as faint sounds of music escaped his headphones. "I missed you…"_

_ "Go the fuck away," Izaya growled. The men around him all looked at him, frowning._

_ "Insane idiot."_

_ "He's supposed to be the infamous Orihara too."_

_ "Probably took one too many vending machines to the head."_

_ The twin of him plopped down on his lap and hugged him close, "I was so worried when Tsu-chan told me that you were falling into the bay. I cried."_

_ Izaya shut his eyes and tried to ignore the bubbly double sitting on his lap. The man didn't make it easy. _

_ "Hey~ It's mean to ignore people. Iza-chan." He pouted before pulling away in a huff. "Fine! I'll get Tsu-chan to help me. TSUGARU!" _

_ The car door opened even as the car rushed past buildings and other cars, allowing a sandled foot to invade the small back end of the car. The foot was soon followed by another and then, slowly, a blue kimono-clad Shizuo entered the space. The yakusa didn't seem to notice that the back of the car had practically no room left. _

_ Izaya watched as his double started crying and flung himself on Shizuo. "Tsu-chan! Izaya won't listen to me!"_

_ "I can see that, Psyche. It's alright. I'll talk to him for you."_

_ "Really, Tsugaru?" The Izaya double, 'Psyche' smiled up at 'Tsugaru' before grinning evilly at Izaya. The doppelganger began to sing something as he moved to the door and leaped out of the car, waving as the car zoomed past him._

_ "Hello."_

_ Izaya looked at the Shizuo double and glowered, "go away. Let me alone."_

_ The yakusa men all looked at him questioningly again and Tsugaru sighed, "I have no interest in seeing you get thrust into the bay or any of the other torture that you suffer during that night." _

_ The car stopped, the scene the same as before. Izaya tried to fight back and found his knife tossed aside on the bridge. He could hardly breathe. The surroundings went into and out of focus as the pain burned him. The bridge disappeared from under him, but Tsugaru remained. _

_ "This is where you finally got the chance to consider your actions. All of them, yet you chose to think about Shizuo. Does that not seem a bit strange to you?"_

_ "GO AWAY!"_

_ "Look up at the bridge, Iza-kun."_

_ "GO TO HELL!"_

_ Tsugaru moved forward in the free fall they were in and pried his head to view the bridge. A mop of blonde hair flickered under the light of a lamp post just ten yards or so from the bridge. Izaya stared at the man and froze as he found himself not hitting the water below. He looked down as a double of him fought against chains and wounds. _

_ "I already said that I would not watch you in pain, Iza-kun." Tsugaru sighed and corrected their upside down state. "Watch."_

_ "This is a memory. I can't see this. It's not possible." Izaya shook his head as Tsugaru pulled out a pipe and lit it up. _

_ "Subconscious thoughts and perception can allow you great insight, but the dreamer is in the most control. For example, you most likely did perceive Shizuo in reality, but you repressed the sight of the blonde in favor of thinking that you merely were thinking about him. However, your subconscious made its own imaginings of what occurred this night."_

_ The Shizuo on the bridge picked up his knife and took one look at it and the water below where the two stood just above the crashing waves. He went over the side and flew downward with a gusto before hitting the water. Tsugaru smiled softly and Izaya watched the debt collector in confusion. "He wouldn't do that."_

_ "Or maybe he would, it's only that you refuse to believe it."_

_ "No."_

_ Tsugaru sighed, "Must you be so difficult."_

_ "This wouldn't happen. Shizu-chan hates me."_

_ "Does he?"_

_ "Yes! Stop putting your puppy dog eyes on me. This shit didn't happen. Don't waste my time."_

_ "Fine," Tsugaru grabbed him by the throat and thrust him under the water, where Shizuo was busy ripping the chains from the unconscious Izaya's ankles. The debt collector pulled him close and began to swim upwards, ignoring the onlookers. _

_ Izaya glared at the scene and attempted to grab the Shizuo. It wasn't true. This didn't happen. There was nothing between him and Shizuo. His hand missed the debt collector and Izaya glared at the blonde. "THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN! STOP SAVING ME! I WAS SAVED BY…" He froze as he realized he didn't know what saved him._

_ "Interesting. An informant who lacks information on his own self." Tsugaru sat on the top of the water and Izaya swam away from him, following the shadow him and Shizuo. He watched the man climb onto the shore, his mocha eyes glued to Izaya's unconscious self. He pulled him close and forced him to take in air, he pounded against his chest, attempting to get him to breathe. _

_ "No… This didn't happen…"_

_ "Are you going to continue to lie to yourself? You are the dreamer here. If this is so impossible, then stop the dream. You can do that, you know."_

_ Izaya laughed in outrage and turned to the kimono-clad Shizuo, "It's impossible at times for dreamers to affect their nightmares."_

_ "Is this a nightmare, Iza-kun?" Tsugaru moved forward and grabbed his hand, pulling him close and wrapping his arms around Izaya's waist. "Does this moment in time scare you? Do you feel fear gripping you, threatening to cause you to cry or run?"_

_ "Let go of me."_

_ "DAMN FLEA! WAKE UP!"_

_ Izaya's head whipped around as he heard the debt collector behind him trying to breathe life into him._

_ "No. No. No… Louse… Izaya," the debt collector begged his unconscious self on the dark shore as rain plowed down on them both. _

_ Tsugaru pulled the dreamer informant closer and lifted his chin, forcing him away from the sight of Shizuo finding victory in him breathing again, "does that scare you?"_

_ "Leave me alone."_

_ The Shizuo double leaned in and his breath hit Izaya's face, "Does this scare you?"_

_ "Go away."_

_ "I could bring back Roppi and Tsuki if you prefer them."_

_ Izaya tensed up and Tsugaru pulled the dreamer against him, capturing his lips in a soft kiss, pulling away a minute later. _

_ "I wouldn't do that to you, Iza-kun. I was surprised Psyche even spoke to Roppi. Usually they are at war with one another. Although their your inner selves so it would make sense that Psyche holds more power."_

_ "What…?"_

_ Tsugaru picked him up bridal style and walked after the retreating Shizuo and Izaya in the distance. "Nothing, Iza-kun. I was mostly thinking to myself aloud."_

_ "Let me go." Izaya wiped his mouth, trying to rid himself of the taste of tobacco and Shizu-chan from his lips. _

_ "Not a chance." _

_ Izaya stared at Tsugaru as that voice came from him, yet he hadn't spoken. That was impossible…_

"Flea, you can't keep screaming in your sleep."

Izaya blinked his eyes open as he found himself in the arms of Shizuo, being carried down the hallway and into Shizuo's room. The debt collector held him close and shut the door behind him. He made his way over to the bed and pulled him under the warm blankets. His arms held him close and Izaya looked over his shoulder at the blonde, still to sleepy to really argue.

"Shizu-chan…"

"Go to sleep."

"Did you… save me…"

"Huh," Shizuo looked up at him and yawned, "I saved you when you were dumped if that's what you mean. Although you probably deserved what you got."

Izaya stared at him in shock, waking up completely and instantly as the debt collector fell asleep. Red eyes were widened in shock as he watched the blonde sleep soundly.

It was impossible.

Shizuo would never…

But he said…

_I don't understand it, _Izaya thought silently_, but it would appear that I might need to start growing a higher tolerance for ambiguity. _

Izaya laid down against the blonde's chest and curled up close. He felt the soft rise and fall of the man's chest and felt himself smirk a bit. The debt collector rolled over and pulled him close, wrapping his arms around the informant. He mumbled in his sleep and nuzzled against the top of Izaya's head.

~.~

_**A/N: Yay! 3 I love the reviews. Even if it's only one or two right now. –sniffle- Just the attention and the thought that goes into the reviews makes me happy. **_

_**I've read some Tsugaru fics, but I have always thought of Tsugaru as very cunning. I love TsugaruXIzaya. **_


	22. Chapter 22

Nothing made any fucking sense.

Of course, they _were _in that yaoi fangirl's apartment so it made some sense that these weird fucking feelings were coursing through him. That was it, Erika was messing with his mind and Izaya… well, he had always been that fucking insane.

Shizuo stared over at the informant, his gaze roaming over the lithe person. The crimson eyes gazing at the screen, teeth peeking out as they bit into his lower lip. The slight slump he had going after hours of typing on that computer. The concentration... that focus... now if he could just pull him away and...

_STOP! HEIWAJIMA SHIZUO! STOP STARING!_

He looked away and scratched his head as he turned on the television and started to flip channels.

_Shouldn't have saved the asshole._

He was probably a masochist…

He sighed and had his gaze meet with a movie on the cabinet shelf underneath the plasma screen, _Junjou Romantica._

…

_GAH! _

…and that would be bile rising up his throat.

Waking up this morning had been like waking up in someone else's life. Nothing fit him quite right. The louse didn't taunt him due to his still highly raspy voice, instead it had been far more aggravating to the blonde's sanity.

Izaya had moved upwards from where he had been curled like a small kitten against his chest. His gaze softened a bit before he pressed their lips together. Without a word, the flea had pressed him down to the sheets and had devoured him. Shizuo was too stunned to move, let alone breathe. He watched the man touch himself as he took his erection into his mouth. No questions asked, no remarks or gestures. Izaya licked and sucked until they were cumming against the bedsheets and one another.

Shizuo's lower regions twitched at the reminder and he shifted in his seat.

"No…nonononono…" The louse's voice drifted over from the table as Shizuo looked over his shoulder.

In dire need of distraction from this house of horrors, Shizuo looked over his shoulder and caught a look of supreme horror on the informant's face. "What?"

"…Shiz…u-chan…do... UGHHH!" He curled his hands into fists as he grew aggravated with his voice and pulled up another window, typing into it furiously.

[Do you have any siblings besides Kasuka?]

Shizuo read the offered laptop and shook his head, frowning. "Aren't you supposed to be the informant here? No. Why?"

Izaya looked seconds from pounding his head against the wall. He sat down on the couch and cradled his head in his hands.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

"…"

"Fucking louse, tell me-"

Izaya shoved the laptop at him and Shizuo looked on the screen where three sets of doubles were poised in front of a camera. The informant's three doubles looked at the camera while the three blondes around them were in what looked like a fight.

"Tsugaru…Delic…Tsuki…Roppi…Psyche…and Hibiya."

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE?"

"They exist… I'm going insane…"

Shizuo looked at him in confusion and deep disproval. Why was it, whenever he turned around, the louse was pulling out another random, insane problem?

Great lay or not, this was too fucking weird for his taste.

~.~

"PEASANT! WE HAVE GUESTS!" The young brunet sat in his most favorite chair and quickly hid away his computer where his email to the informant still remained on the screen.

"Whatever you say princess!" Delic smirked knowingly as he walked out of the other room and adjusted his tie.

"DO NOT CALL ME A-" He paused as their guests came in. "Yadogiri…"

"Orihara."

"Take another step into the room and I'll kill you before you can comprehend your actions," Delic growled to the guest.

"Calm down, prince Charming. I came to merely give warning." The man smiled to the seated brunet, "your protection won't last forever. Just because the informant's little doctor friend created you all, does not mean that you can protect your 'parents' so to speak. I will find them and you will-"

"Enough." The caped, brunet leaped up from his chair and covered his mouth to catch a rather long yawn. "You bore me with your threat attempts. I have no wish to hear your annoying voice. Peasant! Remove the serf from my throne room!"

Delic 's shoulders shook in silent amusement before he stood in front of his beloved royal.

Still Yadogiri glared to the caped man. "I will not be stopped. I don't know who you think you are, but-"

"I'm Prince Hibiya, you unrefined pig. I can do whatever I please." He waved his hand dismissively and Delic smiled darkly, pulling out a weapon from his jacket. "Do with him as you will peasant, just don't get your clothes bloodied up. I want you back in here for praising me in less than ten minutes."

"I'll only be a minute, your Highness." The blonde moved forward and grabbed the table sitting nearby, raising it up at their guest. Yadogiri took the liberty of turning tail and running for the exit.

"How pathetic…"

Delic rolled his eyes as he set the table down and slammed the door shut, locking it for good measure. "Do you think the others were foolish enough to try to contact them?"

"No. The others will probably just mess with their heads."

"That's good. I would hate to see something happen to Iza-chan. He's so cute-"

"Enough slobber, peasant! I demand you praise me!"

One step clicking after another, the white suited man moved towards the raised area of the room where the prince stood. A smile flickered to life on his visage, his headphones were moved from his ears to dangling around his neck. He looked up at the man and took to one knee. His eyes glittered with humor and life as his body took to reverence, "…and how does his lordship want to receive praise today?"

Hibiya blushed deeply and averted his gaze from the magenta orbs teasing him. "Y-y-you know that's just filthy to ask someone to say…"

"My! His Highness is a bit of a slut…"

"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU INSOLENT-" Delic's lips met his as he moved forward and led the brunet back to his throne. Hibiya heard the laptop clatter to the ground as Delic stripped them of their clothes and he felt a pang of guilt wash through him; Psyche was going to kill him for endangering Izaya and Shizuo by sending them the evidence of their existence.

~.~

"FIND THEM! They didn't go to that damn doctor's and the secretary was useless!" And disturbing, he nearly shuddered at the reminder of interrogating her. She had been ice cold. To have someone who was only too eager to describe killing you in the middle of the night when you were already wounded and to pull out pictures on her phone of body parts labeled as yours…

He was not getting a secretary.

"Sir! We checked everywhere. They must be staying offgrid."

"Then find a way to get them on fucking grid." His temper was beginning to show.

"…Yes sir."

"Check the hospitals again for any wounds I described."

"But-"

"NOW!"

~.~

"Shizu…chan…" Izaya writhed on the bedsheets as Shizuo towered over him, trailing attention down his front.

"Shut up flea…"

"It feels…so…MMNPH!" Shizuo shoved the ball gag into his mouth and glared at him.

"I don't like it either, but you won't shut the hell up."

He looked like he wanted to make a remark, but all that came out was nothing. Shizuo smiled tauntingly at him before returning to kissing down his chest, nipping and biting more with every inch. The mop of blonde hair remaining untouched as the informant fought his other restraints.

The informant moaned wantonly underneath him as he went. Shizuo pounded into him harder, speeding up his pace as he found that one spot yet again. The expressions on Izaya's face were just so…

Izaya blanched and kicked at him, trying to get away.

"WHAT THE HELL FLEA? STOP! YOU'RE GOING TO FUCKING HURT YOURSELF!"

The louse shut his eyes and shook his head frantically.

"He might be distracted by the people behind you." A very Izaya-ish voice murmured behind him. Shizuo froze.

"Roppi-chan~ At least let them finish! Look how close they were!"

"Eh… Can we just wait in the other room, you two?"

"Calm down, they look to be done now."

The four intruders continued talking and Shizuo looked back and forth between Izaya and the guests. _Okay… This is insane._

_~,~_

**A/N: Yes, yes it is Shizu-chan. Author-san is probably insane for making this into a story. Dreams and reality being almost irrationally inseperable? Yep. I WARNED YOU READERS! IZAYA'S GOT MORE PROBLEMS THAN OLD AND NEW ENEMIES AROUND! HE'S GOT DOUBLES!**

**...anyway, Delic/Hibiya= Amazingly awesome stuff. I'm thinking a random oneshot of them is in my laptop's future. XD**


	23. Chapter 23

"What kind of bullshit is this supposed to be?"

Izaya stared at them all in silence, unable to speak or move due to the restraints on him.

The white clothed Izaya double bounced forward and wrapped his arms around Shizuo and laughed, "Hi Shizuo-san! I told them we should have had you solve everything, but Roppi said that I should mess with Iza-san instead."

"Don't blame me when I don't care about either of them," the other Izaya double exclaimed, being held back by the scarfed Shizuo.

"Why are you here messing with us at all?" Shizuo didn't even want to try to understand too much here.

"We're here because- TSU-CHAN! NO! SHIZUO-SAN PUT THAT ON HIM FOR A REASON!"

Izaya threw his old bindings aside and wiped his mouth free of spittle before glaring at the guests, minus Tsugaru. "Get out."

"Get out~" Psyche mimicked.

"Go away~" Roppi mocked.

"Why is it you always try to push us away? We're here to help you!"

"We don't need your help!"

Shizuo leaned against the nearby wall and rubbed his forehead.

"We just want to save you from that meanie face!" Those magenta eyes of Psyche's grew wide and shimmered with tears.

"I really couldn't care less actually. I just like messing with you." Roppi admitted.

Izaya opened his mouth to speak and ended up coughing hard.

_The lot of them are insane. _Shizuo felt for his pack of cigarettes and headed out of the room, no longer in the mood for some sex.

"Oh good. I would like to talk to you." The yukata clad Shizuo followed him and Shizuo frowned at him.

"You piss me off."

The double shrugged, "I suppose Izaya told you about our first run in with each other so I understand. However, I just thought I would warn you about some things."

Smoke escaping his lips, Shizuo rolled his eyes. "I don't give a shit."

"This-"

"Tsugaru!" The other double of Shizuo came running out of the bedroom and smiled as he caught his breath and adjusted his glasses. "The three are fighting."

"It's alright. They'll stop soon enough."

"Oh… okay."

"Why the fuck do you two look like me?"

The two looked at him simultaneously and answered in sync, "Shinra."

"Should have guessed he was involved."

"He said he was experimenting with making clones of you both for experimenting, but Delic didn't like that idea, so he destroyed the place."

"Delic?" Shizuo frowned, "one of those copy fleas?"

"Delic lives with his lover Hibiya over a few blocks over from Shinjuku."

"…So he's not running around with a louse?"

"No, he is." The spectacled Shizuo double answered, "he just doesn't like to be near us with his Izaya. He's possessive."

"And a masochist," Tsugaru muttered.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

Looking around the apartment, Shizuo led his two doubles to the couch and motioned them to sit down so they could at least be comfortable.

"We would like you both to live with us or with Hibiya."

"Like hell. I hate living with the flea. I don't need to see doubles." Another cloud of smoke escaped his lips as he spoke. "I really don't need to see some shitty assed doubles being submissive weaklings to them."

"I take offense to that," Tsugaru replied calmly.

"I really don't care. You both piss me off." Shizuo turned when he found the flea being literally dragged out of the other room.

"Wee~" The white clothed informant double beamed in happiness as he held onto a foot. The other smirked faintly.

"Stupid informant thinking that humanity is so great…"

Shizuo looked at them and the discomfort on the informant's face and exhaled another puff of smoke. On second thought…

"Fine. We'll come with you guys."

Tsuki smiled timidly as he adjusted his glasses. "See? I told you all that they would be reasonable if we merely spoke to them and stopped haunting Izaya's dreams."

Tsugaru nodded, "don't worry too much about seeing yourself dominated, the 'fleas' just like the false perception that Shinra gave them. We can easily overpower them."

Psyche literally tossed Izaya's foot at the ground and hurried over to hug Tsugaru, "I love my Tsu-chan! He likes to do a lot of the dirty work at home and he is very nice to me."

"I hate… you all…" Izaya rasped from the floor as he rubbed his foot that the double had dropped; his furious expression absolutely adorable.

Shizuo shrugged, "if it gets me out of this gay infested house, I'll go anywhere."

"…dumbass…"

"Shut up, Flea."

~.~

_**A/N: …I have nothing to say. Reviews mean the world to me. :D**_


	24. Chapter 24

"Iza-chan struggles a lot."

Shizuo and his doubles both stared at the duo carrying their twin in shock. Tsuki eased back a bit, "did he really need to be tied up."

Magenta and carmine eyes gave the trio a look before literally tossing the informant into the van.

"Let's go!" Psyche leaped into the vehicle and the others followed calmly, letting Shizuo pull the door shut.

"This should be interesting." Tsugaru commented as he started the engine.

"This is going to be so much _fun!_" Psyche bounced in his seat and played with Izaya's tied up hands. "We can paint these and play with Hibi-chan's horse and we can give Tsu-chan and Shizuo-san a blow job and-"

"Psyche, shut up! No one cares." Roppi shifted next to Tsuki and averted his gaze out the window.

"Aw," Psyche's cheeks puffed up in frustration, "don't be mad just because Iza and I both are able to admit we like someone. You can tell Tsuki-chan anytime now."

"SHUT UP!"

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!" Shizuo rubbed his temple as the van turned. "You're both annoying."

"Says the one who always throws vending machines. It's called a therapist, Neanderthal." Roppi glared at him and returned his eyes to the window. Slowly, as Psyche continued to pout and eventually pull out nail polish to 'psychedelicize' Izaya, Tsuki reached over and laced his hand with Roppi's earning a gentle squeeze from the brunet.

"TSU-CHAN! I'M BORED~" Psyche moaned before blowing on the drying nail polish. "Are we there yet?"

"Almost."

"That's not good enough."

"No one cares what you think, Psyche. Go die!" Roppi retorted.

"TSU-CHAN~! Roppi-chan told me to go die!"

Shizuo stared over at Tsugaru in shock and disbelief, "is it always like this?"

The yukata clad blonde smiled peacefully, "Psyche is acting out for the attention. Give him a few hours and he'll settle down."

"They're fucking five year olds back there."

Tsugaru pulled into a spot and parked peacefully, "Don't worry about them."

"I WANNA CARRY IZA-CHAN IN!"

Shizuo rubbed at the forming headache, "JUST CARRY HIM IN THEN!"

The man's eyes watered before he grabbed the informant's arm and literally started to drag the man across the ground and into the house. Snickering, Roppi followed in their wake, holding onto Tsugaru and Tsuki to stop them from stopping the duo.

"Freaking retarted…" Shizuo pulled out his cigarettes and lit one as he headed into the house.

"Hello to you as well~" A headphoned, white suited Shizuo smirked amusingly from the plush sofa he was reclining on.

"DELI-CHAN!" Psyche nearly shrieked as he ran forward into the man's arms and straddled his lap. "I MISSED YOU SO MUCH! Hibi-chan is so mean, taking you away- BUT YOU'RE BACK NOW AND WE CAN HAVE FUN AGAIN!"

'Deli-chan' merely raised a brow from behind his magenta shades and lifted the louse double off of himself, setting him on the floor. "No. I am just picking up a flea."

"You can pick me up any time you want, Deli-chan!" Psyche smiled innocently at him and Tsugaru moved forward.

"We'll be watching over the two-"

"No need," the man ran one hand through his blonde mess of hair, "I have no intention of taking anything else away from you, brother. I'm just here to snag Izaya-kun and go back to my little prince." His smile turned a bit biting, "Besides, we both know if I really wanted what's yours I would have taken it."

…

This guy… he pissed him off.

"You piss me off." The words left Shizuo's mouth before he could stop himself.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"That's good then, because seeing my face in that getup is like a slap to the face. Hell, even Tsugaru's 'traditional' outfit beats that shit." Languidly, the man stood up and with one sweep took the informant into his arms. "Look at this. One hour and Iza-kun's already bloodied up again. I suppose we can't expect anything less of you four though… or five."

Roppi rolled his eyes, "If sucking Hibiya's balls has you this cocky, I can't imagine how cocky you'd get if you actually got fucked."

"Roppi~" Tsuki shook his head and smiled at his double. "It's nice to see you again, Delic-san. You and Hibiya should come back. We don't actually mind having you both here-"

"much," the normally calm Tsugaru inserted, his eyes flickering with what looked almost like anger.

Tsuki shook his head, "you could at least call in from time to time."

Delic pulled out a cigarette and shrugged, "in case little Psyche-chan hasn't told you, we do call. He's always answering the fucking phone. Pisses Hibiya off to high heaven."

Hibiya sounded like the sane one in this mess, Shizuo thought. Him and Tsugaru.

"-also we find it annoying when our outfits are getting mixed in with all of yours."

Tsugaru shook his head, "It's much easier to do them all-"

"You can't wash Gucci in a mere washing machine!" Delic's face grew dark, "my Armani and other suits need dry cleaning, not that you would know what that is, hugging trees and whatnot."

Shizuo could feel the vibes rolling off Tsugaru as he tried to stay calm. The man was highly honorable. Personally, Shizuo would have tightened that 'Gucci' tie until Delic died. Still, Tsugaru kept calm. "It was nice to see you. Please give Hibiya my regards."

"Of course." Delic smiled and bowed a bit before taking a few steps towards going around them.

"Oh, and leave Izaya-kun with us." Tsugaru added. "We'll take care of him."

"I can tell you already have." The man remained facing away, "but his Highness and I have an understanding that Iza-kun will be returning with me."

"We have to keep our two together." Tsugaru moved forward and frowned, "if they separate, then one could easily be taken and used against the other."

"Then you'll just have to keep a good watch over Shizuo." Delic pulled his cigarette out and exhaled pink smoke into the room. "…It was a pleasure, as always, you four. If your ever in our neighborhood-"

"You've never told us your neighborhood," Roppi scoffed.

With a wink and a dazzling white smile to the Izaya doubles, Delic turned and walked out.

"Ah~ Deli-chan IS SO CUTE!" Psyche rolled back and forth on the floor squealing. "AND THAT SMILE! IT'S SO ADORABLE!"

"Psyche~" The blue clothed blonde moved forward and looked sadly down at the brunet. "You know I don't like when you say such things…"

"I'm sorry~!" Psyche jumped up and hugged Tsugaru tightly, looking at the other three and mouthing his addition to that, 'but Deli-chan is SUPER HOTT!' He emphasized the last two words with a euphoric face of ecstasy and bugged out eyes.

"I forgive you, I love you Psyche-chan."

"I love you too Tsu-chan!" Psyche nuzzled close and Shizuo went to find a bathroom to throw up in. Disgusting.

_**A/N: Ugh, returning to the plotline and getting this filler in is hard work. I had to do a 'Let's get into Delic' character hunt too. I mean, Delic is a very complex individual. He's a masochist, but very possessive. He's dirty and perverted, but also a high class kind of guy. I think I did him justice… I think.**_

_**Also, WHAT THE HELL PSYCHE? That is all.**_

_**As always, I love the feedback I get. You know we got over 100 reviews? I cried of joy. I really did.**_


	25. Chapter 25

"Izaya-kun…" Shizuo's face floated above him as Izaya stared up at the man, writhing beneath his touch. Everything felt like a dream, nothing hurt. It felt like he was complete euphoria.

"PEASANT! Move over! That's my face you're touching," a voice said demandingly before Izaya frowned, seeing himself above him.

"Hibi-chan…" Delic's voice wavered threateningly.

"You may take him from below, but his face is mine to use as I please. If you want to see my face it's right in front of you."

"Oh? I can 'see' your face?" An evil smirk appeared on Shizu-chan's face as he looked at Hibi-chan.

"That is what I just said."

The blond smirked before Izaya felt something grip him. Another hand lashed out and grabbed the prince, throwing him down as well and causing him to remain next to Izaya. They both glanced at each other before moaning at the blond's touch.

"What's my name, Hibi-chan?" The blond cooed.

"COMMONER!"

"Tsk tsk…" Izaya felt something stroke him in a personal area and he cuddled up to his double, shutting his eyes and moaning.

"…D-damn… p-p-p-peasant…" The prince shook violently before gasping, "OUT!"

The blond would hear none of that though. He leaned down and kissed a path up the prince while continuing his stroking of the informant. "Hibiya… Mon petit prince… Say my name. Tell me what you want…"

"Shizu…chan…" Izaya moaned quietly into the soft brown fabric of Hibiya's cape and shuttered uncontrollably.

Hibiya faltered, "…De…Delic…"

A wide, dazzling smile broke out across the man's face before Hibiya arched back, having had Delic enter him suddenly. The stroking on Izaya's balls and dick sped up in time to the thrusts inside the prince.

"Shizu…"

"Delic…"

Delic laughed maniacally as he watched the duo under him. "You both have the same exact look on your face."

"I…"

"Stupid… commoner…"

Not affected by their words in the slightest, Delic leaned over in between them and murmured seductively to them both. "Cum for me, louses…"

"NEVER!" Hibiya hollered, so close that he felt like he was going to die.

"…" Izaya looked up at the magenta eyes and felt some of his ecstasy fall. This wasn't the brute he knew. This was just one of those doubles.

Still, as he felt the man pump him harder and heard his double's screams of absolute release, he lost himself. He fell back and sprayed cum blindly. His visioned blurred to nothingness and hearing went all but gone.

~.~

Finally climbing down from his climax, Hibiya snuggled closer to his host and smirked, "I think having Izaya home is going to be a good thing."

"Couldn't agree more, your Highness," Delic yawned as he pet his prince. The informant lay on the other side of Hibiya, fast asleep from his climax. As if thinking the same thing, Hibiya wiped at the seed on Delic's chest and chuckled darkly.

"You know it wasn't you he was seeing just now…"

"Yes…" Delic gazed over at the sleeping figure and felt something clench inside, threatening to erupt from him at the prince's comment.

Hibiya lifted himself up and blocked the man's view. His mocha eyes flickering with amusement, "consider it payback for offing my butler. Hurts to see someone worthwhile turn away from you, doesn't it?"

A moment of unsaid threats coursed through the room before the blond smiled. "Don't overestimate your enemies, my dear prince…"

~.~

"We have a location!"

Yadogiri looked over again from his seat at the card table and raised a brow. "Do we? Then get us over there."

"It's a private house here in Tokyo."

"The owner's name?"

"It's that Tsugaru fellow you went to visit."

"…What confirmation do we have?"

"Stoplight shows a pic of the group going and the outfit that the blond of the description is wearing is a bartender outfit."

"Alright." Yadogiri rubbed his hands and nodded, "time to make a return trip."

The others hid their fatigue and looked at one another. "…Right."

"Sir!" One of the techs frowned, "why bother? They're already ruined by the mere fact that it's been over two weeks. Why are we even after this informant?"

_"Yadogiri, you can't expect me to join you?" Izaya laughed and finished texting. "I prefer not to do partnerships. A solo endeavor is much easier, besides," he grinned, "I love my humans far too much to waste all of my time with an informant who is most likely going to be getting himself killed through a drug deal than in something serious. Ja nee!" _

_"If you decline my offer, I'll have no choice but to get rid of you."_

_Izaya paused long enough to look back, "You can't touch this. I'm too valuable for my clientele to lose. You however, are going to be too late. Your job is already being killed by your own clients." He resumed skipping away as Yadogiri glared after him. _

"…I'm going to murder him before he kills my career." He had to.

~.~

_**A/N: Okay... so Yadogiri was having his job fail, asked Izaya to partner up, Izaya tossed him aside... therefore Yadogiri somehows gets the yakusa to join him in getting rid of Izaya? ...**_

_**GOTT! WHAT A COMPLICATED PLOT! Lol, but lookie! I gave you all a free lemon! Threesome Hibiya/Delic/Izaya! Lmaorofl. **_

_**Reviews, my dear humans, are always appreciated. Even though this is turning into one insane story.**_


	26. Chapter 26

"Shizuo?" Tsugaru peaked into the room and smiled faintly at him, "I thought it would fit."

Shizuo adjusted the outfit and frowned, "not that I particularly wanted to dress like that bastard." He buttoned up the pink pinstriped shirt and walked over, shutting the door behind him. "What's going on?"

"Nothing too much."

Music pounded from the room next door, causing both men to jump in surprise, "**OH I BEG YOU... CAN I FOLLOW… "**

"Psyche is singing early today…" Tsugaru sighed as Shizuo looked up at him like they were all insane. His hair in disarray and eyes wide in shock and bemusement.

**"ALL I ASK YOU…ONE I ALWAYS… BE THE OCEAN… WE UNRAVEL… BE MY ONLY… BE THE WATER… WE'RE WADING…"**

"PSYCHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Shizuo ran passed the tranquil double and slammed open the door to Psyche's room, shocking the man from his seat.

"WAHH…DELI-CHAN!" Before Shizuo could even begin whatever he was going to do, the small figure pounced on him and started to nuzzle. "I knew you would be back!"

"Ah…Psyche…"

A hand covered his mouth from behind and Shizuo looked back to find Tsugaru shaking his head. "Please let him believe it. If you prove to him that Delic is not who he thinks then…"The blue clad blond stopped whispering in case Psyche could hear, although it didn't seem likely.

"Psyche!" Shizuo smiled as teasingly as he could before swinging the man around. "You were wrong! I just came to tell you to keep it down! I'm trying to sleep!" He dropped the raven haired man down before walking away, leaving Tsugaru to pick up the pieces.

He opened the door to the main room and Roppi yawning, staring at Yadogiri as if he were a piece of shit… which sounded about right.

"Now, now… we have evidence-"

"Don't care…"

"I thought you were Izaya's true clone. Shouldn't you love humans?"

Roppi waved him off, "Shin-chan wasn't the brightest creator. Besides, I hate humans. You want a human lover, go find Orihara… oh wait," the brunet grinned, "you can't. You have no idea where he is."

Yadogiri glared at him, his temper on edge. He looked away only to pale at seeing the debt collector. "Oh… Delic. Don't come any closer. I was just speaking to Roppi. I'm about to leave."

"Then get out."

The man more or less sprinted for the door, slamming it shut behind him before they all paused.

"Wow… I wonder how Delic scared him." Tsuki asked, "usually he's just a big tease."

"Deli-san's a manipulative bastard. I wouldn't be surprised if he and Izaya became closer than brothers."

The blond on the couch cuddled up close to Roppi and nodded.

"Manipulative…"

"You've seen him. He likes to make people like him, just to piss others off. He likes to be the alpha," Roppi shrugged, "Luckily for everyone; Hibiya enjoys continuously making him a masochist so we've never had him fool around… except playing with Psyche, but to be fair, Psyche practically begs for it."

Somehow…

"I hate him."

"Psyche?" Roppi and Tsuki both stared at him.

"No, Delic."

Roppi yawned and pulled Tsuki off the couch, "Then go grab Izaya if it bothers you that much. Stupid human. Come on, Tsuki. I'm going to bed."

"G'night Shizuo-san." Tsuki followed the other out of the room and Shizuo sat down in their seat, looking out into the night sky. The lights of the city flickered in the distance. The headlights too far from the driveway to be a bother.

Slowly…

His eyes…

Shut….

_"Shizu-chan…" Izaya smirked at him from across the room._

_"Louse."_

_"It's not as fun with all these doubles is it?"_

_"It's fucking annoying." Shizuo glared at him, "Don't think this changes anything."_

_"Ah, but this changes everything, Shizu-chan. I was thinking of staying at your home and becoming such an obedient wifey~ I would even wear the frilly apron and run around picking up after you~" His smirk and sarcasm were impossible to miss._

_"Why the hell would I let you in my house?"_

_The crimson eyed man stepped right up to him and slid his arms provocatively up his body, "because, Shizu-chan~ You love me. Maybe not consciously, but the thought of dear Deli-chan touching me makes you want to rip your own face off." He grinned, "Perhaps I should let him. Seeing you kill yourself might be fun…"_

_A feral growl came from the blond as he gripped the informant's shoulder's, glaring at him, "DON'T YOU DARE FLEA!"_

"TSU-CHAN!" Psyche's voice woke Shizuo up to him holding the man in a death grip. "DELI-CHAN IS BEING MEAN TO ME!" He went spinting out of the room quickly before Shizuo leaned back and sighed. This whole situation sucked.

~.~.

"Did I forget to mention that?" Shinra laughed, nervously.

"Yes, Shinra. I don't believe you told me my precious blood was being experimented on and with Shizuo's… along with sperm."

"It was just a few months of no jobs and well… Celty was gone so I was lonely and you both were busy with work so I just…"

"Fucked with our body fluids?" to the sound of silence on the other end before sighing, "there aren't any more than the six-"

"Seven. There's four Shizuo doubles and three doubles of you."

Hibiya laughed from across the table. "The commoner killed off one."

"Ah." Izaya smiled, "apparently the monsters like killing themselves to even out the numbers."

Shinra gasped, "They took me weeks to make! Shizuo better not be killing them!"

Izaya rolled his eyes and sipped more of his so called 'medicine.' "Shizu-chan's doubles did it."

"Damn…"

"Ah, poor Igor. Back to the drawing board?"

"Can I?"

"Don't even dream of it. What Shizu-chan and I ejaculate and have running around inside our bodies are ours."

"Never took you as someone who cared so deeply for Shizuo."

Izaya handed the phone to his double and continued taking his medicine as Hibiya spoke. "Who says that I would ever care for that brute?"

The doctor continued to speak and Hibiya just rolled his eyes, setting the phone down to continue his meal.

"Morning." One very tired blond walked in and bowed before grabbing some tea from the counter and relaxing into the middle seat.

"Ah, morning, Deli-chan!" Izaya smirked at him before resuming his conversation with Shinra.

"Morning, Iza-chan."

"Keep the libido down or you'll sleep with Alfred in the stables." Hibiya grinned, "and I'll give my horse you're wardrobe again."

The blond shuddered in horror, much to the amusement of the two brunets in the room. What an interesting morning…

~.~

_**A/N: -pulling hair- GAH! There's nothing going on! It's like everyone died here! DAMN FILLER! YOU BORE EVERYONE! -sob- I swear, next chapter is getting some action. None of this relationship nonsense. Pure action! ADVENTURE! **_

_**Reviews? My usual people have gone missing. I think you may be bored. I keep forgetting to write more of this without my usual emails of notices that I have reviews. **_


	27. Chapter 27

Across the city landscape, Yadogiri looked out from his apartment and took some time to sip at his tea.

Alright, so the blowing up Orihara's apartment was not a brilliant plan.

Going to the yakuza for more help was useless since they were only in the original plan due to a lie.

The doubles were just as aggravating as their originals, possibly more so, considering the blond monsters and their blind obedience to their raven-haired fucks.

New plan…

…

"Do we have anything new."

The duo behind him sighed at their boss. This was his fourth time asking. "N-no sir. Our i-information still points to Tsugaru-san having the duo with him."

"What about the other two?"

"Well, sir. Delic and Hibiya-san both have been paying visits to the underground doctor lately. Rats inside that building say they hear complaints along the lines of "he shoved his- uh… "

"Sexual body part," the other tech person offered timidly.

"Yeah! They complain about sexual body parts being shoved in uncomfortable places and objects being put there. Other than that, they've been quiet."

"Is there any way we can bust into the apartments?"

"Not unless you have a death wish."

Yadogiri smiled darkly, "draw up the schematics."

The duo shivered at their boss's reaction and shoved the dead bodies nearby aside so they could pull up the building plans before they met the same fate as their less than willing coworkers.

~.~

Shizuo felt like he was drowning.

This whole time, however long it had been at this point, had felt like he was falling. He couldn't stop himself. The world passed by his eyes without pause. The winds of change whistled by him; he had held onto what he could during his fall.

The informant was gone now though.

All the air around him had vanished. He was surrounded by familiar yet unfamiliar surroundings. Life continued outside, time continued to pass by, but each second seemed to draw on.

"Deli-chan! …Tsu-chan." Psyche smiled at them both on the couch before heading to his bedroom down the hall. The blue-clad blond sighed as he watched the man pass by.

"Go kill Delic."

"Hmm," Tsugaru looked at him before shaking his head, "Psyche is happy. I have no reason to complain."

"You're an idiot."

The man sighed, "one day you may understand."

"Doubt it," Shizuo continued smoking his cigarette. "If I liked someone as much as you, I would probably kill anyone in my way."

"You would like to think so."

Shizuo felt a vein throb at that, "you doubt me?"

"The difference between our thoughts and our actions is what makes us who we are. You can say all you want that you would do something, but when it comes to reality, sometimes not doing things leads to better outcomes than acting on our primary instincts."

_Idiot. _Shizuo snubbed his cigarette out in an ash tray and stood up, "Watch. I'll go talk to that music obsessed idiot."

"Shizuo-san-"

Shizuo ignored him and walked promptly to Psyche's room, throwing the door open to freeze.

Psyche squeaked and fell off his bed, wrapped up tight in a blue cloth.

"What the hell?"

"W-w-what are y-you doing in h-here?" Psyche looked over the edge of his bed and fumbled to stuff the blue fabric under his bed.

Confused and irritated, Shizuo shut the door behind him and walked over swiftly, yanking the blue cloth out from under the bed. "This is…"

"SHHHH!" Psyche rushed over to his door and locked it before sighing, "you can't tell Tsu-chan!"

"Why do you have this?"

"SHHH! You're so mean!" Psyche blushed madly and checked the windows and looked around, as if expecting someone to jump out and say something.

"Psyche?"

The brunet puffed up his cheeks before pouting, "fine! I like to keep it in my room. Especially after he tosses one aside for the night. I trade them back and forth every other day."

Okay, he was even more confused now, "…why?"

"BECAUSE!"

Shizuo unlocked the door to the room and walked out, sitting down next to his blue clad clone.

"…What happened?"

"Fucked up little flea…."

Tsugaru sighed before returning to his newspaper.

~.~

He wasn't going to tell Tsu-chan about this was he?

Psyche frowned as he carefully put the fabric under his pillow and wandered out into the living room. Tsugaru was reading his newspaper while Delic was started on another cigarette.

Okay…

He started to double back when Tsugaru looked over and smiled a bit, "Psyche-kun."

Damn! CAUGHT! Psyche turned and smiled at him, "Tsu-chan! I forgot to tell Roppi-san to stop bothering Iza-chan!" He laughed a bit bubbly before taking a few steps towards the kitchen.

The blond frowned, "is everything alright?"

"Hmm? Y-yes, what could possibly be wrong! We get to live with Deli-chan again! Yay!" He threw his arms up in rejoiced before watching the veil go back up over Tsugaru's face.

What did he do?

"I see…" Tsugaru got up and walked over to him slowly.

Oh no! Deli-chan told him! Psyche looked over at the man and wished he was more like Roppi and Hibi-chan. They would both beat him down for doing such a thing. He had admitted that habit in confidence! Deli-chan wasn't supposed to tell anyone!

Psyche blinked in shock as Tsugaru wrapped the blue fabric of his kimono around him and held him close. "T-t-t-tsu-chan?"

"You look like you're getting a cold. Your cheeks are all red."

Oh, Tsu-chan. Psyche wrapped his arms around him and giggled, "how can I get a cold when I have you to take care of me, Tsu-chan!"

The hurt on Tsugaru's face vanished as he wrapped his arms around him and chuckled. "Would you like me to start up a bath for you?"

Oh~ Tsu-chan bath! "YES!"

Kissing his forehead, Tsugaru pulled back and headed to the washroom.

"You're really fucked up, Psyche."

Psyche looked over at Delic and stuck his tongue out. "I only liked you to get Tsu-chan! He's mine! Besides, you chose Hibi-chan. Even if you now seem like you are going to forget him to go after Iza-chan, I don't care. I just used you to make Tsu-chan realize how much he loves me and Iza-chan will do the same to get Shizu-chan so HA!"

~.~

Shizuo watched Psyche strut away in the blue fabric and go into the bathroom, "TSU-CHAN~! CAN WE BATHE TOGETHER?"

Wait…

So Psyche was just…

Shizuo smacked himself in the head. Of course, a louse was a louse.

Wait…

_-and Iza-chan will do the same to get Shizu-chan-_

Izaya… liked him?

All air was gone, this new world around him was familiar yet unfamiliar. He was lacking something from before that had let him live. He was drowning. His reality was being destroyed without it.

Figures past in this darkness. He could see, but it was mere blurs to his reality.

He was in love…

With Orihara Izaya.

~.~

_**A/N: I would post more story up, but I have to go to work. Maybe later, ja?**_

_**MUAHAHA~ Love Psyche. Love him for being as manipulative as Izaya. **_

_**Oh, and the reviews made me amused. Continue, by all means, both the concerned reviews about plot and the love are helping me improve and tie this whole thing together. Thanks my lovely humans~**_


	28. Chapter 28

"Enjoying movement?"

Izaya looked over and smirked slightly, "nice to have control back and my voice."

"Mhmm. Royalty can only be pushed down for so long." Returning to his soup, the prince happily resumed his morning.

"Speaking of social classes, where's your peasant?"

"Hmm?" The prince wiped his mouth off before frowning. "That commoner, if he is sleeping he will be punished."

Izaya frowned, walking to the bedroom, "Delic?"

The door creaked on its hinges as Izaya pushed it in.

"Delic?"

"Oi! COMMONER!" Izaya jumped as Hibiya yelled from right behind the informant.

"Can you not yell." Damn, his ears were ringing now.

The man paid no attention, he slammed open the door and waltzed into the bedroom. Glaring about the bedroom, his fury grew. "Where is that brute…"

"You slept with him last night, didn't you?"

Hibiya glared at him, "why does my punishing the plebian matter?"

"Oh, so sensitive~ All I wanted to know was if you saw him this morning."

"Wipe that grin off my face," Hibiya snapped. "It's not like that, but yes. I saw that idiot this morning. He was drooling on my pillow."

"Huh…" Izaya pulled the window open, scanning the surroundings. "He vanished."

"Idiots don't just vanish."

The duo started their search immediately.

~.~

"Delic."

The blond woke up and looked around his surroundings. "What the hell?" This wasn't his prince's bedroom.

"I wouldn't bother." Yadogiri walked into the room and watched him writhe against his bindings. "We did careful analysis of your blood. The paralysis won't last long, but it will last quite long enough for us to get what information we need."

Delic smirked, "can't find Orihara?"

"…" The other informant sat down on a stool and held up a scalpel. "Do you understand how dissection works?"

"Tch. You're about two years too late to ask me about that. Been there, done that. I got dissected by Kishitani when I was first born."

"Amusing, but you and I both know that you're not born. You were created. A clone of the original Heiwajima Shizuo." Yadogiri smiled, "can you tell me where he is?"

The host feigned thinking, "hmm… let's see here… Oh right, FUCK YOU!"

"I see... Then this might become painful for you."

The knife shot through his side, creating a sickening sound that reverberated off the walls.

"I don't think you understand, I would very much like to speak with the duo."

"I would like to not be bleeding upon my nice clothing, but that isn't happening either."

Another slice up his chest, pausing at his collarbone; "It's such a shame to be carving you up. With all that strength… Oh well."

Across the throat now, crimson spilled over, staining the white cloth of his clothes.

The host started to laugh incessantly, "you think I care about a few cuts and bruises? My highness has given me worse."

"Then I suppose we'll have to try harder."

~.~

"Delic is missing!" Psyche rushed into the kitchen, closely followed by Izaya and an irrational Hibiya.

"What?" Tsuki and Roppi stared at the trio in shock.

"He… was-wasn't in the house…." Hibiya bit his lip and turned away.

"It's okay to cry, Hibi-chan."

"SHUT UP PSYCHE! I AM-AM N-NOT CRYING!"

Izaya yawned, sitting down at the table and grabbing a plate, filling it with food.

"Oi! Flea! Your clone is crying. Do something about it."

Izaya rolled his eyes, grabbing a pair of chopsticks. "I brought him here. Seemed reasonable."

"Tsugaru is missing too, they could be fighting somewhere." Roppi continued eating, much to the shock and horror of Psyche.

"What? But Tsu-chan is just in bed!"

"Psyche, it took you four days to realize I wasn't Delic." Shizuo grabbed his milk and rolled his eyes, "Tsugaru is probably missing."

"Hurts, doesn't it, fool?" Hibiya glared at Psyche and smirked angrily.

"Don't put us in the same boat!" Psyche threw a punch at him and the room heard a yip sound as the prince got hit, "Tsu-chan is just playing around! He's not missing!"

Laughing, Izaya shook his head, "absolutely perfect. Naturally, like humans they want to deny the truth at any and all means."

The pink eyed man sniffled from his spot, looking over at one infuriated prince. "I want my commoner back."

"I want my Tsu-chan."

"What happened to hate, my clones?"

"I never hated Tsu-chan! I love him!"

Hibiya looked away.

"Ha," Shizuo snickered hard, "looks like your clones are just as gay as you are."

"Gay? You say the strangest things. Is that a side effect of being a monster?"

"Is trolling a side effect of being a bastard?"

"Oh, Shizu-chan wants to play mind games!"

"Not with a louse like you."

"Aw, Shizu-chan is afraid to lose~"

"Give the louse a voice and suddenly he thinks he's a genius."

"Uh… guys?" Tsuki frowned, tugging on Roppi's sleeve as Shizuo and Izaya fought.

"Aw~ did you miss me that much?"

"Like a soul-sucking flea."

"Such an original nickname, Shizu-chan! That's so sweet of you!"

Roppi sighed, pulling Tsuki with him, "We'll be at Shin-chan's place."

"Be careful." Tsuki warned as he pulled out of the place by his companion.

Hibiya and Psyche both frowned, "What?"

"-LOUSE! IT WAS ONE TIME!"

"Aw~ so sensitive~! Did someone enjoy it a bit too much? Someone wanna have a second time? Third?" Izaya gasped, holding onto his chest, "how shocking! Trying to ruin my virtue!"

"YOU HAVE NO PROPRIETY!"

"Shameful! Taking away my good name! I hope you intend to take responsibility. What if I got pregnant?"

"SHUT UP FLEA!"

A loud bang came from the living room, interrupting anything that could be said.

~.~

_**A/N: Getting a little more action filled... -is being beaten the crap out of by editor- Love the reviews, open for a durarara editor. XD Keep the reviews up. Thanks.**_


	29. Chapter 29

"What the hell?" Izaya spun on his heels and Shizuo fell back as the wall burst apart.

"Ah, problem solved." Yadogiri walked in as if he owned the place, pulling a gun out, "I'm afraid there might be other guests coming. Let's just move this to another place shall we?"

The blond moved in front of the raven-haired informant, carefully blocking him from the intruder. A frown grew onto the informant's face as he watched his old foe stand before him, his back all he could see.

Still their mutual rival remained, "do you have any idea what this is, Mr. Heiwajima. This is a gun. It kills people."

"Get out."

"All I need is the informant. You can kill him, by all means. I just need him dead." The man smiled "It's perfect. You kill him, I see him dead, live goes on. Think about it, Shizuo-san. You will never have to see his face again. Never again will you have to have to run after the informant. Never will you be pestered at work. No more problems."

_"Do it…" _Shizuo felt a voice in his head say the words to him. He stared at his latest problem.

Everything was Izaya's fault.

EVERYTHING!

Why was he arrested? Izaya.

Why did he lose his job as a bartender? Izaya.

Why was he here? Izaya.

Why was he in love?

…

"No."

Izaya looked up, shocked. He probably shouldn't be. This was Shizuo. The man was unpredictable. Unbeatable, unstoppable…

Invincible.

"Shameful."

_BANG._

"SHIZU-CHAN!"

The debt collector fell to the ground. Time stopped. The informant was grabbed from behind. The clones were nowhere to be found. The sound of sirens rang through the air as blood seeped onto the wood floor.

Yadogiri smiled, "It's been fun, Shizuo-san."

~.~

_**A/N: Oh yeah, this is short. Sorry about that. I'm busy cuddling my Shizaya pillow. IT'S SO CUDDLY! –is completely distracted-**_

_**Thanks for the reviews, shall we get more violent? ^-^**_


	30. Chapter 30

Shizu-chan was dead?

Izaya remained numb as the men and Yadogiri pulled him out of the apartment. The world took on a slant. Nothing seemed real. Everything wavered in disproportion. There was no way in hell this was reality. Shizuo was stronger than that. He could take a fucking pen to the hand and pull it out like a splinter!

For goodness sake! He could handle a small bullet!

Izaya felt himself shoved into a van and remained frozen as he felt the blood on his hands.

"The blond had no pulse sir. He's dead."

"Good." Yadogiri smiled and sat back. "Now we can do this one last time, except this time, when you go under, we'll ensure you stay under. To Tokyo Bay."

The others nodded and Izaya didn't fight as the rope was tied around his wrists and his head was stuffed into a bag. He didn't have his beloved knife, he didn't have any idea the tech these men were carrying. He wasn't at this point able to think through a cardboard box. He was far too out of it.

_Shizu-chan…_

~.~

"Shi-chan!"

"Shush, you'll annoying him more than you annoy me."

"Sorry, Shi-chan."

The room came slowly into view as Shizuo woke up. The room was darkening as he came back to reality, but he couldn't think passed anything. He felt groggy.

"Heiwajima…"

Shizuo turned his head to find a black-haired man sitting in a bedside chair, his scowl and slightly bent disposition gave off a certain authoritative aura. He didn't look in any way like a worried individual about his health, which left to question. "What do you want?"

"I want my informant."

Shizuo paused for a moment. His informant? Who in the world could that be? He only knew of one informant offhand that he could be possibly talking about and Izaya…was… "SHIT! IZAYA!" The blond sat up immediately and winced in agony as he middle took revenge on being unreasonably bothered.

"Shiki, we found some clothes for him." Roppi entered the room and threw some clothes onto the bed. The raven-haired stranger, Shiki, nodded.

"Fine."

Psyche bounced from on the other side of the blond. "It's a good thing we got in contact with you when we did! Otherwise there could have been something bad that would happen."

"…You're an idiot, Psyche."

Shiki sighed at the duo's argument which slowly started to crescendo.

"SHUT UP!" Shizuo glared at them both. How dare they taunt him by looking like…like… "Where's Izaya?"

"Uh oh…" Psyche nervously fiddled with his headphone wire before running out of the room, "I'm going to check up on Tsu-chan!"

"WUSS!" Roppi followed after him, "You're such a coward! Run to your dear lover for help rather than telling him you can't be trusted to watch paint dry!"

"YOU'RE SO MEAN!"

Tsuki poked his head in, "Roppi? Oh, sorry." He bowed before ducking out and continuing on towards the fading voices.

"they're so weird." Shizuo swung his legs over the side of the bed and Shiki spoke up.

"Tsugaru and Delic were both abducted. My men found them in a back storage area we have. They were taken in and bandaged up as best as our doctor could do. Shinra took a look at you as well when we came across you at the clones' household." He stood up. "You are supposed to remain in bed and put no effort into much of anything for at least a full two days." He turned and headed towards the door, "Yadogiri is going to dump Izaya in Tokyo bay again. The man believes you are dead and that with Izaya's death, he can gain my unwavering trust."

"Will he?"

Shiki gave him a droll look before opening the door. "I trust no one." With that, the door swung closed.

Shizuo pulled himself out of the bed and started to pull the spare clothing on. It was only missing the vest and tie from being just like his usual clothing. He walked down the hallway, buttoning up his shirt as he came across the host and the so-called prince.

"Never again."

Delic coughed a bit before smiling, despite a bruise on his face and a bloody lip. "Did someone miss me?"

The prince glared at him, straddling his waist, "Don't you dare pick on me! You just vanished! What was I supposed to do?"

The blond host sat up, wrapping an arm around the brunet and smiling, "I missed you too, Hibi-chan."

"Hibi-sama."

"Chibi-sama."

"Shut up! I'm not short!" Hibiya huffed and looked away, flustered.

Delic wrapped his cast covered arm around the man and kissed him, "I'll never leave my prince again unless he tells me to."

"I'll punish you mercilessly if you ever do," Hibiya huffed angrily.

"I'm sure you-" Delic paused as he caught the blond outside the doorway, "What?"

"Nothing." Shizuo shook his head.

"Gah!" Hibiya leaped off the bed and started to berate the host for embarrassing him in front of other commoners. Leaving that room, Shizuo looked into the next room, only to quicken his pace.

Honestly, there were doors for a reason.

Psyche probably forgot in doing such acts with Tsugaru-

Shaking his head, Shizuo broke into a run as he walked out of the building. He wasn't that far from the bridge where Izaya was first thrown. Was he too late? How long had he been out? It can't have been that long…

No…

Fuck no! Shizuo ran faster and leaped over several benches, paying no attention to signs or lights or cars. He couldn't be too late. He had to be on time.

Come on!

He swung around a corner, spotting the bridge ahead.

_Izaya…_

_ Izaya… _

Cars passed as Shizuo spotted the other informant talking happily to his fellows, all leaving the area, walking calmly to the other side of the bridge. They disappeared by the time Shizuo made it to the bridge. Shizuo looked over the edge and didn't see so much as a wave out of place.

…He was too late.

Izaya… was…

"IZAYAAAAA!"

Izaya was dead…

~.~

_**A/N: I just love that suspense/angst, don't I? I like how some people look forward to my updates. I feel so loved. –sob of joy- Anyway, I decided to update my Shizaya stories in celebration of the Shizaya wedding event. Oh yes. OCTOBER SECOND PEEPS! REMEMBER THE DATE!**_


	31. Chapter 31

The wind sped passed him as he went into free fall. Reality didn't matter anymore. The crisp morning winds flew passed him. The vast darkness under him grew to epic proportions. He fell…

Fell into that unending night below.

The shadows opened their arms to embrace him, all those feelings of hatred and anger vanishing. He wanted-_needed_ to see that the flea was alive. He couldn't stop himself. He had to save the flea. He wouldn't let anyone else have him. Only he could kill the louse. Only him.

Once again, the waves moved against him. Simple physics worked against him. The world fought against him.

He foraged against it. He would not be stopped.

The dark bodies moved around him, leading him, following him. Fur met his hands as he reached for the man. His arms wrapped around the small figure. Pressure pounded against his skull. They sunk lower and lower into the waters of Tokyo bay.

Shizuo melded themselves closer, reaching down, fighting against the chains that held them down. Last minute energy forced the informant to struggle inknowingly in his arms. But it ended fast, Shizuo tugged the chains off and propelled them up.

To the daylight.

To life.

Even if it meant to return to their past.

~.~

Yadogiri leaned back and watched as the debt collector jumped into the bay. He looked to his two remaining underlings and nodded, "boom."

On cue, the bridge gave out a deafening noise, light engulfed the night as the bridge was blown apart. Cars screeched to a halt, drivers looking horrified and shocked at the sight of the bridge.

Bits and parts of the structure fell into the water. The whole thing gave way, creating ripples of unyielding waves that roared towards the shore.

The now only informant turned to his two men and pulled his gun, shooting them. There would be no witnesses to his accomplishment. He turned away and moved away, going back to his own home to begin his new life.

There was only one way to kill a person with a bodyguard, bodyguard official or no…

Kill them both.

Together.

Now that that was over, Tokyo belonged to him.

"It's finally mine. Finally…" He paused as he met a pair of magenta eyes.

"Yadogiri…"

"Delic Heiwajima…" the informant undid the safety and smiled darkly, "what a pl-" He choked on his own breath as something was thrust into his stomach. He felt digits grip his very lungs as the man before him smiled back.

"I almost thought I wouldn't make it in time to do this, but I made it just in time. You see, you upset my prince. He doesn't like having to wait for me. I'm afraid he's asked for compensation."

The informant opened his mouth, blood trickling out as he tried to speak.

Delic continued, "Ah, and lest I forget, Psyche and Tsugaru aren't too happy either."

"Not at all…" Another pair of magenta eyes met the informants. Psyche smiled brightly and held up a knife, "I would ask you pay for Tsu-chan's medical, but since you don't have the money, we'll settle for your guts."

The hand vanished from his chest, letting blood seep from his body. He paused, looking up at his two murderers. A hand latches out, grabbing the gun from his hand and smiling, he aimed and shot. The man fell before them and Psyche began to pout.

"Do you think it's over?"

Delic wobbled to a lightpost and nodded, "yeah. It's over."

"What do we do now?"

"Where's Hibiya?"

"He's in the car. He's pissed that you left and went to kill Yadogiri. He was Izaya and Shizuo's problem."

"He would have gone after us next."

Psyche shrugged before turning, pocketing his gun. "Yep. I was just protecting Tsu-chan."

The host scoffed, "How kind of you… You weren't here to make sure I was okay at all~"

Psyche smiled again, "maybe a while back I would have, but now I don't care. You may look like my Tsu-chan. You may like my same music and style, but you aren't my Tsu-chan." The pink-clad brunet shut his eyes in content, walking off.

"Later Psy-chan!"

"Later Delic-san~" Psyche skipped as he turned up his music, "_I-I follow, I follow you deep sea baby~ I follow you. I- I follow~ I follow you, deep sea baby~ I follow you."_

Delic turned to watch the duo crawling out of the black waters. The blond immediately loomed over the other body, attempting to force life into the flea, his informant.

"Izaya!"

"What are you doing commoner?" Hibiya glared at the host, crossing his arms unapprovingly.

"I'm watching this. Shush." The host pointed and the prince scoffed, "should we not tell Shinra-san that they're hurt?"

"No way, I wanna see what they do."

"Izaya doesn't look like he's breathing."

"…we'll give him a minute."

"You're a perverted peasant."

"I love you too, Hibiya, now shut up so I can watch this."

The prince blushed deeply as he was ignored in lieu of the duo on the beach. Nonetheless, he proudly set himself in front of the host, earning a pair of arms wrapping around his person. The host wrapped himself around him, warming him against the morning chill. The blond on the shore looked like we was going to loose his mind. Frantic movement became maniacal. Screaming rang into the night. Screams that sounded almost like the normal shouts of hatred.

It wasn't the same shout though.

Shizuo sounded broken.

"If you ever do that to me, my prince," Delic murmured, his arms gripping him tightly, "I will never forgive you…" The host's voice turned deeper, darker; sending shivers running down the young royal's spine.

"I have no need to do anything so beneath me."

"Better not…"

~.~

"Izaya…"

Pale lids remained shut.

"IZAYA!"

Another burst of air, his lungs burned. His throat screamed in agony. His body shivered in the cold. He couldn't bring himself to have an ounce of self-preservation.

"IZAAYAAAA-KUNNNNNNNNN!"

He held the body to his chest and cupped his face, trying to force more air into his lungs. He wouldn't stop. He couldn't.

Damn it!

"IZAYAAAAA!"

Lights flashed before him soon enough. He looked up to find medics on the shore. The lifeless body in his arms was stolen away as he was tazed into surrendering the body. Still he lunched forth.

"STOP HIM!"

Shizuo shook in fury and anxiety as he faced the authorities.

The old deputy recognized him immediately. "Easy Heiwajima. We're just going to take your friend to the hospital."

"…" His fists clenched.

"…Shizuo-san?"

"Find Yadogiri… I want to kill him with my own two hands."

The men shuddered at the aura he was putting out. The deputy nodded, "Let's worry about your friend first, shall we?" The medics started to shut the door when Shizuo was escorted over, "hey, you boys have a close friend coming with your vic."

"Hurry then. This guy's on our live support."

"He's alive then?" Shizuo climbed in and went to the informant's side.

The ambulance moved forth as the medic filled him in. "We aren't sure who your friend is, but he's got some major damage to some places. It looks like he's had some issues with bodily damage and assault. Know anything?"

"…He got into a fight with a gang."

"I see…" The medic scribbled onto his clipboard and looked up again, "Your friend have a name?"

"Izaya… Heiwajima."

The men in the van blinked before frowning.

"Heiwajima Izaya? Brothers?"

"No… It's complicated."

The medics nodded, not wanting to mess with the strongest man in Ikebukuro. They entered the hospital quickly and Shizuo found himself staring at the doors of the emergency room, watching doctors and nurses running in and out. The surroundings remained the same as he watched the door. People drifted passed him, shadows to his reality. He watched those doors, waiting to see that cocky bastard stroll through them.

He realized that night so long ago that he never had hated that flea.

He had realized he had somewhat of an attraction to that louse that night soon after.

He had taken a bullet for that pest.

If he died, he was going to kill him.

~.~

_**A/N: Good stuff man. Good stuff. I think we're drawing to a close. Reviews? Oui? Non? Ja? Nein? Da? Nyet? **_


	32. Chapter 32

"How did you hurt yourself exactly?" Mikado frowned as Masaomi clutched his arm against his chest, sucking his moment of fame up as three female peers cooed around him.

"Mikado, I told you. I got into a bit of a scruffle. It wasn't that bad until I decided to drop the stop sign I was holding." He looked at the ladies and sighed, "sometimes I feel like I just am angry and I can't stop it."

"Aw~" The girls hugged him.

"He's so much like Heiwajima!"

"Do you fight often, Kida-kun?"

Mikado shook his head. "Ask him about last month with the repairs at my apartment."

"Mikado~! I told you not to mention it! That beam was unstable! I had to stop it from hitting you." He nodded gravely, "it true. I took the bullet for him. Stopping such a malicious beam from plummeting on top of him."

"Oh!"

"That's so sweet of you!"

Mhmm, so sweet since Mikado had had to listen to four hours of Kida claiming his hand was broken because he got a splinter he wouldn't let the other pull out. The group walked into the hospital and the girls expanded out from the duo.

"Be careful, Kida-kun!"

"If you need someone to help with that anger before you become as bad as the monster of Ikebukuro, let us know!"

"Yeah! We're always here for you!"

They giggled and Kida grinned, "Sweet~!" An arm wrapped around Mikado's shoulders, "look at that! We got babes! Hot ones! We can totally have a double with no problem."

"Count me out. They were just concerned over your injury."

"Pfft, I think I just sprained it trying to parkour like the dramatic duo of Ikebukuro."

The leader of the Dollars sighed, "so why are we even here if it's nothing?"

"I told you~ babes and to get this wrapped up!" Another cocky grin was cast his way, "gotta have something the babes can coo over."

"You mean your dashing good looks and wit aren't enough," Mikado teased.

"It's true. Compared to me most this town wishes it could be with me. But I say no, No! I have a best friend! …but the babes can still hang around in case he's- OUCH! Hey! Mikado," Kida complained, having run into the teen, "why'd you stop?"

"Look!"

The pair looked to find the strongest man in Ikebukuro sitting in a chair.

"Heiwajima-san!" Kida grinned, "What's got you in here?"

The debt collector looked over, only to reach into his soaking wet vest and sigh.

"Why's he all wet?" Mikado asked.

"Damn, Orihara must have gotten him all washed up."

The ex-bartender froze as he heard the informant's name.

"Shh! What if he gets mad?" Mikado dragged his friend passed.

"Come on~ What's going to happen?"

"Us getting killed. Who will pick up women if we are dead?"

"Good point!" Kida laughed, "I knew I was rubbing my ways on you."

"…let's just hurry. I have to meet with Anri later."

"What? You two are going out on the town without me?"

"Of course not, just move."

~.~

Shizuo watched the two boys get stuck sitting across from him, waiting for an available physician.

"This sucks~!" the blond boy complained, "I still have to get home and do all that lousy homework!"

"Kida~ stop complaining!" the other motioned quickly, "Don't upset the others here."

…The three remained seated alone in the room, nurse calls and the sound of footsteps the only sound that interrupted.

"Ah~ This wouldn't be so bad if I didn't have to work on that crappy psychology!"

"It's not that hard if you would just pay more attention."

"Easy for you to say, you get all that crap!"

"Kida~!" The black haired kid looked over at Shizuo again only to stare in shock, "…you're bleeding?"

Hmm? Shizuo looked down and sighed, he'd forgotten about his bullet wound.

"whoa~ Dude, you should see a doctor." Kida stared at him as well.

"Why do you think he's at the hospital, Masaomi?"

These kids were pissing him off. Leaning back, he did his best to relax. The whole place stank. There was a strong smell of disinfectant, that annoying woman over the speaker calling for doctor or nurse so and so, then there was the duo across from him. Add the fact that it was the middle of the day on a Monday, there was no one around.

"So Heiwajima-san!" Kida grinned at him and leaned forward, "where've you been for the last month? No one's seen you around 'bukuro."

"Kida!"

Shizuo gave the kid a droll stare, "busy." Damn he could use a cigarette right about now.

"No one's seen Orihara either."

Stop pressuring me to kill you kid…

"The whole place has been quiet. It's boring."

Annoying… annoying…

"So what have you been doing?"

PISSED! PISSED! PISSED! PISSED! PISSED-

"Heiwajima-san?"

Shizuo broke out of his reverie as the nurse came out. "Hmm?"

"We've gotten Izaya-san out of the operating room."

Bolting from his seat, Shizuo ignored the throb in his shoulder, "Is he awake? Can I see him?"

The duo sitting on the other end of the room stared at him in shock as the nurse shook her head. "He's still out cold. We've got him on a drip while he recovers some. There was some hypothermia issues and such that we had to deal with. Luckily for us, you took care of- Oh my goodness, your shoulder!"

Shizuo shrugged it off, "it's nothing."

"It looks like something. Come on, we'll patch you up since we've taken care of your significant other."

~.~

The duo sitting in their seats watched as Shizuo was escorted back. Kida gaped, his eyes the size of saucers, "did she just say…"

"Heiwajima is homosexual?"

"Whoa~" Kida stood up and shook his head, "this can't be right. Since when do those two even associate on friendly terms. They can't even look at each other without fighting."

"It looks like they are now."

"No. I mean, the babes! How can- I mean…" Kida moaned, leaning back in his seat and sulking. "…Mikado?"

"What's wrong now?"

"This sucks. Now I'm thinking about swinging that way."

The other rolled his eyes, "you're just saying that because you're bored- HEY!" A hand groped him through his shirt and Kida smiled somewhat darkly.

~.~

"Heiwajima-san!" The nurses all complained as he picked the informant up, "he's only stable right now! We don't know whether he'll catch a fever or anything!"

"I'm taking him home." After hearing that Yadogiri was killed and that his former personnel were either dead or claiming that the man was the victim of the gangs of Tokyo, Shizuo was through sitting at the hospital next to that annoying beeping monitor.

"Sir!"

Wait!"

Shizuo carried the man in his arms and paused a moment to dodge around the fight in the waiting room between the two boys. He continued onward as the management seized their chase to pull the duo apart. He kicked the front of the building open and headed down the street, the man in his arms dozing soundly.

"Isn't that Heiwajima?"

"No way! The man is soaking wet and that guy has brown hair with blond at the end. There's no way that's Shizuo Heiwajima."

"True~"

Shizuo hurried around a corner only to groan internally.

"Shizu!" Erika smiled at him and bounced forth from the van gang. "What's going on?"

"Can you give us a ride?" He was sick of walking. His arm freaking hurt and the louse just had to hit him in that spot with his head.

"Hmm? OF COURSE!"

Kadota nodded at him, "what happened?"

"Louse and I got into a fight and ended up in the bay."

"Whoa!" Both otakus stared at him in awe, "you mean you guys blew up the bridge? Was it with a vending machine?"

"Kadota…"

"Come on guys, leave the man be."

Erika scooted over and pat the back seat, smiling as the side door was shut and Shizuo was stuck with the two. "So how's the relationship going?"

"Pfft, Erika!" The other otaku scowled, "how many times do I have to tell you that Shizaya doesn't exist?"

"It does!" Erika whined, "I saw it!"

"Mhmm."

"They were going at it!"

"Whatever Erika, I'll expect AmericaXRussia before that. Or Light and L."

"ALL REAL!" The girl exclaimed, "It's called the cold war, and for Light and L it's a twisted love. Come on, not all love is going to be fluffy." She patted the ex-bartender and Shizuo felt the deep urge to cross himself. "Clearly this duo has the violent, sick love that involves bondage, blood, and adrenaline… like Germancest."

Shizuo wasn't too sure what the hell that meant, but he was suddenly not feeling too up for any trips to Europe.

"Erika~ Everyone knows Gilbert ends up alone."

"SHUT UP BEFORE WE PULL THE VAN OVER!" Kadota glared at them as they turned off the road finally, "Shizuo, where're we going?"

"Shinra's."

"Alright." Kadota turned his attention back to talking to the other and the otaku nonsense continued.

Erika leaned closer to him and looked at Izaya. "Iza-chan is so moe when he sleeps."

Walker shrugged, "he's like a lion, wake him up if you want to be eaten."

"I bet he would look cute with cat ears." Erika smirked before digging through her bag, pulling out a cat eared headband. She stuck it on the sleeping informant's head and smugly admired her work. "Nyan~"

Walker snickered, "you had a point. Better with the ears."

Shizuo averted his gaze to the window.

"Shizu! What do you think?" Erika lifted the informant's arm and used it to paw at him, "nya nya~"

"Stop."

"Come on~ He's totally adorable with them. He's clearly your uke."

"Erika," Walker shook his head.

Shizuo stared out the window harder until Erika commented again.

"If you don't want him, Dotachin will take him. He's kept a picture of him in his wallet for ages."

Shizuo's grip tightened possessively around the informant as Shizuo looked over at the man, whom was now sitting rigid in his front seat.

"I swear, I'm not funding another manga run for the rest of the year."

"DOTACHIN~!" Both whined loudly as the can turned.

"Jealous Dotachin," Erika murmured before turning to the duo next to her. She pulled the informant's hands into hers and smiled, "IzaIza makes such a cute kitty. You can keep the ears for him Shizu. I don't need them if they're put to good use."

"Erika!" Walker covered her mouth and smiled at Shizuo, "She's crazy. Don't even listen to her. We all know you hate-"

"Shizzy-chan…" The informant stirred in his arms and immediately Shizuo's attention was focused on him.

"Izaya-kun~" He leaned over a bit and watched as those carmine eyes opened, the man stretching a bit before yawning and curling up closer to him.

"nya, Shizu-chan. Wake me later…" He snuggled in before drifting off to sleep in seconds.

Erika fanned herself. "So cute~ So so cute~"

"You got one thing right, Izaya-san can do moe look." Walker admitted.

"Shizaya for the win!" She cheered as they finally pulled up to the house.

"Thanks for the ride. "Shizuo opened the door and jumped out, clutching the informant to his chest, heading up to the building. He ignored the van gang as he got inside and headed back up to the apartment.

Erika smirked as the group watched the blond head inside with Izaya in his arms.

"Five hundred yen says they have good quality time when IzaIza wakes up."

Kadota and Walker shook their heads, "easiest yen ever made."

~.~

"Shizu-chan~" Izaya was pushed into the bedding as Shizuo loomed over him. Sweat rolled down his back as he fought his fatigue. He looked over his shoulder and glared at the brute. "Careful!"

"I'm trying to go slow!"

"Go any slower and I'm going to be getting wrinkles here!"

"Shut up flea or I'll make you take care of this yourself."

"But that would be gross," Izaya complained, wrinkling his nose, "it's all wet and messy. I'll have to wash up afterwards if I do that."

"Should have thought of that before."

"Like that would change anything."

"Just shut up! I'm almost done!"

"So quickly! Shizu-chan has hands of a champion~"

"Didn't I tell you to shut up!"

The bedroom door slammed open and Roppi walked in, glaring at them. "SHUT UP! You're scaring Tsuki!"

The duo on the bed looked over and Izaya sat up, pouting, "it's not my fault the brute can't replace bandages well."

"I could if you would just stay put and stop reopening wounds!"

"Whose fault is that when I have you trying to seduce me every night?"

Roppi huffed angrily, "stupid idiotic humans. I hate them…"

"And another thing, Shizu-chan, where did Dotachin's number go on my phone? I know you've been messing with my phone when I'm asleep. Shiki-san is missing too."

"You're voice is annoying."

"My voice is annoying? That from the monster of Ikebukuro-"

Lips clashed seconds later before the fight was officially put on hiatus. They collapsed to the bed sheets again. Their clothes flying in the wind as they crawled under the bedcovers and continued.

"Protozoan-"

"Flea-"

"Neanderthal-"

"Louse-"

"Brute-"

"Flea-"

Izaya pulled away only to smirk, "you said that already."

"Because you are one, now shut up," Shizuo bit down on the brunet's lower lip before he could speak and started to suck on it, reaching up his chest to stop the teasing arms roaming about his person.

"I still hate you Shizu-chan."

"I really don't give a shit, stop lying to me and yourself."

Izaya grinned, "I love all my humans, but you aren't human."

Shizuo grinned back, pulling the man's hand down to his crotch and smirking even darker than before, "this is human enough. It's all you'll be seeing."

"I can't see if my hand's on it, Shizzy~"

"You won't need to see it when I pound the living snot out of you." Shizuo pinned the informant down and murmured softly and seriously into the man's ear, "I hope you canceled your appointments for this week, you'll be all washed up when I'm through with you. You won't even be able to walk, let alone sit down."

"So primitive," nonetheless, Izaya shivered at the images that spurred to mind.

~.~

Tsuki sat in the living room as Delic and Hibiya walked by, "they are not having sex. They are not having sex. They are not having sex..."

Delic frowned, "what the hell are you talking about?"

"Peasant..."

Tsuki sniffled, "those two are making weird sounds and saying things again."

Delic laughed, "it's called sex. What do you and Roppi even do at night?"

The scarved boy shook his head vigorously. "It's not l-l-like that. W-we just don-n't need to do that dur-"

"God, I forgot how much you stutter." Delic interrupted. "Watch. All these guys want the same thing." He lifted Hibiya's chin and kissed him hard, earning two arms wrapping around his waist. The prince purred against him as Tsuki covered his eyes.

"It burns..."

"That's right! It burns so good~" The host turned up his music, setting his headphones around his neck and lifted his prince in his arms. "Shall we continue this on your royal throne, your highness?"

"...I suppose I will accept devotion while I sit upon my throne."

"You guys are dirtying my mind," Tsuki murmured, hiding his face in his scarf.

Delic threw the kid a wink before running to the back.

Tsuki waited a minute before peeking out, "it safe?"

...

"TSU-CHAN!" Psyche went running through the living room, only the blue material of Tsugaru's kimono providing any, but not much, cover, "TSU-CHAN! I WANNA TAKE A BATH WITH YOU!"

Tsugaru followed at his own pace, pausing before Tsukishima to sigh, "you should probably go to your room."

"...Never bathing again. Never bathing again. Never bathing again. Never bathing again." Tsuki got up and headed to his and Roppi's room when he ran into the man himself.

"Something wrong, Tsuki?"

"I hate humans."

Roppi blinked at him before snorting, "welcome to the club. You saw Psyche running naked through the living room didn't you."

"I saw nothing. I only see Roppi-san." Tsuki wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled as close as he could. "Nothing. All the humans are crazy, horny monsters. I only want to stay with Roppi-san."

Roppi grinned, a very uncommon thing, and pulled the blond into their room, locking the door behind them.

~.~

"Oops~" Shinra gleefully watched his newest clone bust out of his container and for whatever reason free the raven-haired clone from his birth container. The two sat quietly on the floor and observed their surroundings as the underground doctor walked in. "Hello there. I am Shinra. I am your doctor."

"Hello," the brunet echoed, shivering a bit until the blond who'd freed him wrapped his arms around him. Ah~ so much better. He wouldn't have to worry about jealous clones killing each other this way.

"You both have names as well."

The pair looked at him lethargically.

"You," Shinra pointed to the brunet, "are named… Sakuraya." The man nodded.

"Sa…kura…ya…"

"Good! Yes. You are Sakuraya." Shinra turned to the blond, "And you are named-" "SHINRAAAAAAAA! WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?" The sound of a lock being picked and pounding made the doctor jump.

"Shit!"

"…Shit." The blond repeated the word and Shinra quickly shook his head.

"No, no! You're name is Shit…suo. Shitsuo."

"SHINRA WE'RE GOING TO KILL YOU!"

"Do you want to know what the bottom of Tokyo bay looks like?" Izaya's voice called out menacingly to him, "I have some friends down under that would just love to have a doctor in the sea…"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU SHINRA!" Shizuo's voice called.

"Whoops…" Shinra smiled before waving at the duo on the floor. "You may ask my wifey about any details you need. I must be going. Many patients to take care of you know~"

"SHINRA!"

~.~

**Fin.**

**~.~**

_**A/N: That's it. Good/bad/boring, that is Washed Up. –feels washed up- I'm just going to call this failure and work harder on my other two now. -sulking, does not like ending- Final reviews?**_


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